


Behind The Limelight

by TinyGhostWriter



Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2018-11-22 10:51:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 107,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11378688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyGhostWriter/pseuds/TinyGhostWriter





	1. A Girl Meets A Boy With Two Names

Chapter 1

A Girl Meets A Boy With Two Names

* * *

 

Surrounded by fields filled with unassuming flowers and majestic trees, Rosewood was a quaint, small town in Pennsylvania where nothing significant ever happened. Its residents appeared friendly and amicable, but under the surface, secrets and lies festered in the silence, between the lull that existed within spoken conversations.  
  
Gazing downward from up in the sky, the sun and the moon had witnessed many scandalous love affairs, hearing the whispered dreams of those who had their hearts set on escaping from that isolated part of the country.  
  
Morning had arrived to the Hastings estate, a large property of land, owned by eponymous family that lived there. The married couple, Peter and Veronica Hastings, were successful attorneys, the founders of a firm, one of the most reputable legal offices in all of Pennsylvania.  
  
It wasn't a typical Sunday, and Melissa Hastings could barely contain her excitement. It had been a while since her family had gone apple-picking at the Campbell farm, and the six-year-old girl was eager to get there. Her parents had even promised to let Melissa pick out a few apples on her own. Needless to say, the brunette was bursting with anticipation.

Melissa had already planned out everything that she was going to wear; a simple yellow dress, white full-length stockings, and her shiniest pair of black dress shoes. The little girl had even styled her long, dark-brown hair on her own; hanging loose, but held together with a yellow headband that complimented the rest of her outfit.

Thankfully, her parents had always been proud of her exuberance, even if it came close to a borderline anal disorder. Melissa was pleased with her intellectual efficiency, but since most children at age six weren't anywhere near her maturity level, she frequently refrained from socially interacting with them.

Luckily, apple-picking was an activity that many Rosewood families did on Sunday mornings. Therefore, Melissa thought that she was bound to meet someone her age; someone who she would actually enjoy talking to.

Most kids just couldn't keep up with Melissa's intellect. Since she was the only student in her grade-level that could practice multiplication and quote Shakespeare, she had acquired a certain sense of superiority.

Regrettably, it had been too long since the family went out to the apple farm. This was the first Sunday her father had taken off from work since her baby sister had been brought home.  
  
On the night that Spencer had entered Melissa's life, a tempest had been brewing outside, wind blowing roughly against the walls of the house. Dark clouds gathered in the sky and raindrops slid down a window, as a young dark-haired girl waited by the front door. Her parents had been arguing all week about a subject that she was far too young to understand.  
  
When the couple finally returned home, Veronica was carrying a crying bundle in her arms and Peter avoided looking Melissa in the eyes. Her mother kneeled down to introduce the newborn baby to her older sister, pulling back the blanket to reveal the child's face.  
  
"Melissa, meet Spencer. She's your sister, and you have to protect her from now on."  
  
Veronica's words would always echo in her head, forever haunting Melissa. The older woman gave her a warm smile, and the brunette knew that she was being granted permission to interact with Spencer. From the moment that Melissa gazed into her sister's eyes, she fell in love.  
  
Melissa doted on little Spencer Hastings; she was determined to be an excellent role model. However, she also missed the casual outings that her family used to go on before the small girl had wiggled her way into their lives.

Apparently, her parents were determined to generate enough income to provide a lavish lifestyle for both their daughters. Today would be a special occasion though; Spencer would be going out with the family. She would get to visit the Campbell farm for the first time in her recently acquired life.

"Melissa! We're ready to go. Get in the car, please." Veronica Hastings was as maternal as a lioness. She loved her children dearly, but she could never manage to speak in loving tones.

"Coming!" Melissa responded, even though she was already in the silver Mercedes-Benz sedan and seconds away from fastening her seat-belt. She had been waiting all week for today, and she wasn't about to become the reason they were behind schedule.

"Alright, buckle up Mel." Peter gently ordered. He glanced at Melissa through the rear-view mirror as he shifted the automobile into drive. Veronica turned around from the passenger seat to check that Spencer was properly buckled in the child-safety car seat next to her older sister.

Truth be told, Melissa was too distracted by her own excitement to pay much attention to her family. She absentmindedly stared out the window; she had a feeling something important was going to happen today. 

* * *

"That's a real pretty yellow dress."

Melissa looked up from the basket that she had been firmly staring at for the past five minutes. She just hadn't been able to decide on which apple to pick.

"Can't decide on which apple is the reddest?" The little boy in front of her giggled as he spoke again. Melissa felt a bit insulted, but mostly intrigued. Children her age weren't that witty.

"Well, yes. It seems like that would be the most appropriate way to decide on which one is the best." Melissa replied.

"And you can't imagine settling for anything less than the best, right princess?" He smirked.

Melissa took a real good look at him. He seemed a bit older than her. With his fair blond hair and piercing cerulean eyes, if Melissa was a princess, this boy was definitely a prince.

"Thanks for the compliment. I think." Melissa was ruffled. She wasn't sure why she had thanked the boy or why her stomach was feeling funny.

The boy just smiled wider and extended his hand in search of a handshake.

"It was most certainly a compliment. My name is Charlie. What's yours?" Charlie said charmingly. He was  _definitely_  a young prince.

"Melissa Hastings." Melissa took his hand tentatively, but Charlie didn't let her pull away until he gave her a firm but gentle shake.

"Do you always give your full name?" Charlie teased.

"Do you always act so intriguing?" Melissa replied playfully.

"Oh, you're quicker than most kids." Charlie seemed to be greatly amused by Melissa.

"Or maybe you're not as quick as you thought." Melissa giggled at her own retort. Charlie didn't seem offended, and he began cheerfully laughing alongside her.

"I'm not used to talking someone so clever." Charlie grinned, "My little brother is only interested in playing in the dirt and my little sister is just a baby."

"My little sister is a baby too. She mostly cries a lot." Melissa complained.

"My sister cries all the time. I do my best to cheer her up." Charlie stated proudly.

"You're sweet." Melissa smirked.

"Is that a compliment?" Charlie blushed slightly, "I'm hoping it is."

"It was most certainly a compliment." Melissa cheekily echoed Charlie's previous statement.

"Well, is there a chance that you would be interested in feeding the ducks at the pond with me?" Charlie offered as he winked playfully at Melissa. Her stomach began feeling funny again.

"Where's the pond?" Melissa questioned as she surveyed the area around them.

"It's right over there." Charlie pointed in the direction of the pond with charming smile, "Do you see it?"

"Yes, I do. Let me ask my mom and dad. I'll be right back." Melissa grinned as she rushed off to see her parents.

Melissa had been right, today was an important day. She had met Charlie, her first actual friend. The little blond boy had made feeding ducks seem like an incredibly fun and entertaining experience.

Unfortunately, Melissa never saw him again. The Hastings went back to the Campbell farm on several occasions more after that Sunday, but she never managed to cross paths with Charlie ever again.

However, the young blond boy always lingered on her mind, along with the feelings that he had stirred inside her. If someone asked Melissa nicely, she might even tell them that Charlie was her first crush.

* * *

Melissa Hastings was not crazy. She was high-strung, anxious, and obsessive, but she wasn't crazy. Yet she found herself in the main lobby of the Radley Sanitarium, waiting for a psychologist to evaluate her.

Earlier today, Melissa had caught two girls her age picking on Spencer, her mousy six-year-old sister. Naturally, Melissa responded by slamming one girl into the ground, and bashing the other girl's teeth in.

Well, she was also impulsive, and maybe even just a tad bit aggressive. Still, she couldn't fathom why the principal had requested this mental evaluation instead of just suspending her. Furthermore, the older man had ordered a faculty staff member to drive her to the mental institute immediately.

Kendra Santoni and her goons had been harassing Spencer for far too long. Melissa had already warned her once, threatening to forcefully feed her the jump rope that she kept using to lash Spencer. It was appalling, for someone to hurt Melissa's beloved sister in such a manner. If protecting Spencer from harm merited repercussions, she would gladly accept her punishment.

Veronica and Peter had been notified and reassured not to worry. She assumes the school principal just wanted to appease the parents of the injured girls, but since suspending their prodigal student was out of the question, this psychological evaluation seemed like an adequate compromise.

Consequently, that's how she found herself here, browsing through the Radley brochure while she waited for her name to be called.

"Hey there, pretty girl."

Melissa looked up from the severely uninteresting pamphlet and saw that a lanky young blond boy in front of her. He seemed to be around twelve or thirteen.

The brunette's first observation was that he was institutionalized at Radley, since he was wearing the same type of scrubs that the patients depicted on the brochure wore. Her second observation was that he was extremely handsome. One could say he was actually pretty. Unfortunately, Melissa blurted her second observation out loud.

"Hey there, pretty boy." Melissa immediately regretted her words, and felt herself starting to blush bright red.

"You know, as a boy, I don't get that a lot." The boy replied with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm so sor-"

"I kind of like it." The boy gave Melissa a sincere smile.

"I'm Melissa Hastings." Melissa introduced herself. She could have sworn she saw something flash in the boy's eyes. Was it surprise or recognition? Had she met the boy before? She couldn't quite figure it out, but something about the blond boy was vaguely familiar.

"I'm F-Freddy." The boy had slightly hesitated before answering.

"No last name?" Melissa teased with a playful grin.

"Nope. I have to maintain my air of mystery." Freddy grinned playfully.

"Oh, I see. Well, what are you in for Freddy? Did you hit a bunch of bullies too?" Melissa reveled in the familiar feeling that Freddy gave her. It felt like catching up with an old friend.

"No. Actually, I'm not sure why I'm here." Freddy sat next to Melissa unceremoniously, "But for now, I'm here to make sure a pretty girl has company."

"Well, that's something I'm grateful for." Melissa smiled, "I could use the company."

"Are you here permanently?" Freddy asked politely, "I mean, I know you're apparently very dangerous."

"Hey! I'm not a violent thug. The school principal just demanded that I get a psychological evaluation." Melissa giggled softly before she began explaining why she was there, "Some bullies were tormenting my sister, because she's very thin and that bothered them for some reason. I hate people like that. It upsets me when someone torments another person for being different."

"Oh, it does?" Freddy smirked, "You're basically a hero, Melissa. I'm so impressed."

"Are you?" Melissa smiled teasingly, "I'm glad that I have an admirer."  
  
“I’m sure you have a lot of admirers, you’re impossibly pretty.” Freddy complimented, “I had to come over here and see if you were real.”  
  
“You’re so smooth.” Melissa slightly blushed, “ _You’re_  too charming to be real.”  
  
“Maybe I’m not real.” Freddy grinned, “Maybe I’m a figment of your imagination. I’d like that. Being stuck in your mind is better than being locked up in here.”  
  
“Well, you’d be the best imaginary friend that I’ve ever had.” Melissa stated sincerely, “I’m sorry that you are institutionalized here. I can imagine that this place isn’t as great as the brochure says.”

"It isn’t. I'm glad you aren't here to stay. Radley is awful." Freddy sighed, "This place, it drives you crazy."

"That's a bit ironic." Melissa commented gently, "How long have you been here?"

"Five or six years. Sometimes, I can't remember. It gets fuzzy." Freddy admitted apprehensively, "Talking to you makes me feel better."

Melissa was speechless; the blond boy's confession had made her feel warm. She was happy to provide him comfort. In just a few minutes, she had developed an incredibly strong connection to Freddy; it was bewildering.

"Melissa, can I ask you something?" Freddy suddenly seemed nervous.

"Of course, Freddy." Melissa nodded eagerly, "You can ask me anything."

"Is it normal, for a boy to play with d-dolls?" Freddy's voice slightly faltered.

"Why not?" Melissa grinned, "You should do whatever makes you happy."

"I don't play with dolls. I was just asking." Freddy looked away as he spoke softly, "I don't think you'd like a b-boy who plays with dolls."

"I would love to meet a boy who played with dolls." Melissa stated firmly, "Especially if he's brave enough to be true to himself."

"You would?" Freddy sounded perplexed.

"Yes, I would." Melissa declared honestly.

Freddy remained quiet for a few minutes, he was still processing Melissa's words. It was almost as if he couldn't comprehend how accepting Melissa had been.

The brunette smiled to herself; the boy was obviously a bit feminine. However, Melissa found him unbearably attractive.

"Hey, Mel."

"Yes, Fred?"

"Thank you." Freddy smiled brightly at Melissa and the brunette's heartbeat sped up; the blond boy remained staring at her firmly.

They continued talking for hours and hours, Melissa found herself staring into his inquisitive blue eyes throughout their entire conversation. Either Melissa's name hadn't been called or she had missed it, but before she knew it was four in the afternoon.

It was just so easy to talk to Freddy. The young man was so lively and fresh. He had a perfect response for everything, and he also had this magical way of making Melissa feel  _warm._ Not a lot of people were able to make Melissa Hastings feel anything at all.

"I'm sure people at school aren't so bad, you're probably just out of their league." Freddy responded after Melissa had finished ranting about how her classmates lacked sophistication. He reached out for one of Melissa's hands, as they rested on her lap. As Freddy gave her hand a gentle squeeze, Melissa's stomach twisted into knots.

"Melissa!"

Melissa and Freddy were startled by a commanding yell. They turned around and saw Veronica Hastings barging into the lobby, with a small Spencer Hastings trailing behind her.

"This is absurd, you aren't unwell. There's no reason for an evaluation, we are leaving immediately." Veronica's animated hand gestures signified that she meant business. Melissa quickly stood up to protest.

"Mom, but the principal said-"

"I don't care what he said. We'll take it up with him first thing tomorrow. I'd rather die than watch a daughter of mine get treated like a nutcase." Veronica interrupted.

Melissa smiled apologetically at Freddy. However, the young blond boy was preoccupied with waving at a frightened Spencer. The little girl was bashfully hiding behind her mother.

"Can I just say goodbye to my friend?" Melissa asked.

"Fine. I'll be waiting at the car. Don't be long." Veronica conceded as she grabbed hold of Spencer's hand and strolled out of the building.

Freddy stood up and walked right up to Melissa's side. He was a couple of inches taller.

"Well, that's my mother. Thank you. Honestly. I was bored out of my mind before you came along." Melissa was being uncharacteristically sweet, but there was just something about Freddy. She extended her hand.

"It was my genuine pleasure, Melissa Hastings." Freddy's smile had this hint of melancholy. He stepped forward and took Melissa's hand. However, instead of shaking it, he pulled her in for a tight hug.

Melissa wasn't used to such affection and coming from a boy no less. She relaxed into the embrace as Freddy's steady breath tickled her ear. She wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him back.

"And just in case our paths don't cross a third time." Freddy whispered, "I wouldn't want you to forget me."

Before Melissa had time to process what Freddy had said, he had placed a chaste kiss on her lips. Melissa froze in place as Freddy pulled back, and then nonchalantly walked away. He disappeared from her line of vision when he passed behind the Radley receptionist desk, but Melissa could clearly hear some staff nurses reprimanding him.

Raising one hand to her lips, Melissa whispered to herself the only thing that came to mind.

"Charlie..."

The young man's gesture had succeeded in achieving its intended effect. Melissa Hastings could never truly forget Charlie; she could never forget her first kiss.

* * *

Horseback-riding camp had usually been the best part of Melissa's summer, that is, until she turned fifteen. Spending her entire vacation from school in a place where no boys were allowed seemed like a waste of time. It didn't help that the girls who attended each year were unable to improve their ability to ride, forcing the counselors to repeat the tired lessons again and again.  
  
Most of the time, Melissa would ignore the marked trail, wandering off to explore the forest on her own. It was exciting, the thrill of being alone, and the adrenaline rush that came with actively seeking out an adventure.   
  
As her horse was galloping through the woods aimlessly, an arrow flew by Melissa's head. Understandably startled by the alarming incident, she pulled on her stallion's reins, forcing the animal to halt in its tracks.  
  
"Sorry!"  
  
A voice hollered out. From amongst the trees, a blond boy stepped out. With familiar blue eyes, Melissa instantly recognized the intrepid archer.  
  
"Charlie!" Melissa hopped off from her saddle, abandoning her horse in order to greet Charlie.  
  
"M-Melissa?" Charlie smiled widely, dropping his bow on the grass, rushing toward the girl.    
  
Lunging forward, Melissa tackled the young man with a hug. Charlie returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around the brunette's waist and lifting her off from the floor. Both teenagers giggled as the golden-haired boy twirled Melissa around a few times before placing her back on the ground. Her hands cupped his cheeks; her fingers traced his jawline, as if she was trying to determine whether he was real or not.  
  
Charlie was still gorgeous, but he was no longer a lot taller than Melissa, only a few inches remained before the brunette closed their height difference. His irises were as iridescent as ever and Melissa wondered if Charlie was just an angel who visited her from time to time.  
  
"It's really you!" Melissa grinned as she removed her hands from Charlie's face, "What are you doing here? Were you released from the Radley Sanitarium?"  
  
Charlie grabbed one of her wrists, pulling her hand close to his mouth. His lips pressed against her palm, and Melissa blushed brightly. He pulled back, as graceful as a prince.  
  
"I wandered away from my all-boys camp. It's the last day of summer, so they are allowing us to spend our final hours engaging whichever activity we choose to." Charlie explained as he refused to let go of the brunette's hand, "I wouldn't have imagined finding anyone out here."

Melissa knew that Charlie had avoided her question about the mental institution, the awful place where she had last seen him at. Something in the air told her to respect his choice to deflect. After all, Charlie was wearing a white shirt with the name of a camp, so most of his story seemed true. Besides, the brunette didn't want damper their joyful reunion with painful memories from the young man's life.

"My horseback-riding camp is nearby." Melissa said.  
  
"That explains the fancy outfit." Charlie's eyes roamed up and down the brunette's figure, "You are beautiful as ever. I don't think anyone else would be able to make that helmet look good."  
  
Melissa's face began to redden. Her navy-blue equestrian uniform was very form-fitting.   
  
"How much time do you have before you have to go back?" Melissa wondered.  
  
"Until midnight." Charlie squeezed Melissa's hand, "I don't care if they punish me for disobeying the curfew, it's our final day of camp anyways."  
  
"Let's make the most of it then." Melissa intertwined their fingers, tugging him toward her stallion, "I'd like you to meet Zorro, my beloved horse."  
  
Long after the sun had set in the horizon, Melissa and Charlie frolicked in the woods. The young man tried showing his childhood friend how to shoot an arrow, and she tried to teach him how to ride a horse.   
  
As the darkness of the night crept upon them, Melissa tied her horse's reins on a willow tree, opting to sit on a log besides Charlie. It was long after midnight, and the forest was eerily quiet.  
  
Charlie sighed, knowing that it was time for him to depart, but unwilling to leave the brunette girl for a third time. Melissa could sense his hesitation, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Pulling back from each other, with tears in their eyes, Charlie and Melissa began to whisper their farewells.  
  
"Here." Melissa muttered, presenting Charlie with her horseback-riding helmet, "It has my initials engraved on it, so you won't ever forget me."  
  
Charlie laughed wryly, "I could never forget you, Melissa Hastings."   
  
The blond boy accepted the gift, leaning forward to kiss Melissa's forehead.  
  
"I have something for you." Charlie reached down his pocket and pulled out a golden chain, "My father told my mother that this was too girly for me, but I kept it either way."  
  
Snaking his arms around Melissa's neck, the young man clasped the jewelry on. Brushing her raven curls out of the way, Charlie held the attached pendant on his palm for Melissa to inspect.  
  
"It's a wren bird." Charlie identified the animal sculpted on the trinket.  
  
"It's beautiful." Melissa's auburn eyes looked up at Charlie, boring a hole in the boy's soul.  
  
"I wish that I could give you more than these fleeting moments." Charlie whispered, "You deserve so much more."  
  
Overwhelmed with emotion, Melissa tiptoed upwards, pressing her mouth on top of Charlie's lips. Inexperience kept the kiss brief, but the purity of their feelings was tangible. Crickets chirped softly, providing a melancholic background song as Charlie and Melissa parted ways.  
  
In the following morning, Melissa almost assumed that she had imagined her encounter with the blue-eyed young man. She would wonder if her meeting with Charlie had been an elaborate dream, a magical illusion, that is, until she looked in the mirror. Melissa noticed a golden bird pendant hanging around her neck, smiling to herself at the sight. Just like the first two times that she had seen Charlie, even after he was gone, his memory always lingered on.

Throughout the years, Melissa never saw Charlie, the boy who had masqueraded as Freddy, or the archer who she had met in a forest, ever again. She thought about him quite often. She thought about him every time that she obtained a new boyfriend, she thought about him every time that she received a kiss.

No one ever made Melissa feel as warm as Charlie had in their short time together. It was a little bit strange, but it was mostly incredibly sad. She would always compare tangible suitors to the memory of someone who might as well have been a ghost.


	2. A Girl With A Shadow

Chapter 2

A Girl With A Shadow

* * *

 

Everyone in Rosewood is constantly struggling to have it all, to look impeccably attractive, to be pretentiously intelligent, and to obtain infinite wealth. All the traits that the people of this small town valued were essentially superficial and vapid, empty qualities with the prospect of diminishing over time. The only thing that anyone truly wanted was to be loved.  
  
It was extraordinary how Melissa Hastings managed to be both popular and academically successful, it was usually one thing or the other, and most people were content with the limitations that they set for themselves.  
  
However, Melissa had never been satisfied with following the _status quo_ , and she had carefully constructed her life with an utmost perfect image. Early admissions to the University of Pennsylvania, Homecoming Queen, and the undisputed first choice for valedictorian of her graduating class, the dark-haired beauty almost had it all.  
  
Melissa Hastings was only incapable of acquiring a loving boyfriend.  
  
"Do you even know what today is?" Melissa spat bitterly as she approached a young man in the hallway.  
  
Ian Thomas, a field hockey player who was as athletic as he was smart. The head of the Drama Club, the boy sported a gorgeous smile that complimented his devilishly handsome face. Above all, he had a pair of endearing blue eyes that glinted mischievously. Sometimes, Melissa was able to convince herself that she loved him, but not all that often.  
  
As Ian heard Melissa’s voice, he pulled back from the door that he was leaning on, oblivious to how angry his girlfriend was.  
  
"Melissa! You're never going to guess what's happening in there." Ian ignored Melissa’s question and began to eagerly explain what he was currently doing, "Well, Jason just met this super hot girl during the yearbook photoshoot. I was trying to eavesdrop on them. From what I overheard, she doesn't even go to this school, so she's like this sort of party-crasher."  
  
"Riveting." Melissa deadpanned as she narrowed her eyes.  
  
"Yeah, so if Jason is busy with her, maybe that gives us more alone time to-"  
  
"Do you even know that it's my birthday?" Melissa roared loudly, and Ian could have sworn that the lockers had trembled, "It's my birthday and you got me absolutely nothing."  
  
Melissa didn't care who overheard her outburst. She was tired of being taken for granted by Ian.  
  
"T-Today?" Ian stuttered nervously, "I've just been busy, and-"  
  
"Forget it. Tell the Yearbook Committee that I'm leaving early." Melissa’s face was contorted into the most intimidating frown, "I feel sick."  
  
"Melissa, please-"  
  
"No, Ian." Melissa growled, "You don't know a thing about me."  
  
Satisfied with closing statement, Melissa huffed her way out of the school, content with walking toward the Hastings estate as long as it gave her some time alone.  
  
As dedicated as Melissa was to her responsibilities as head editor of the Yearbook Committee, she was too upset to handle processing all the pictures right now. Hopefully, the members of the organization could make do without her.  
  
Consequently, the rest of her evening was filled with calls from her friends and classmates. Most were wishing her a happy birthday and wondering where she had disappeared to for the rest of the school day.  
  
Ian hadn't bothered to visit her in the afternoon, and most of the voice mails that he had left seemed more concerned with Melissa allowing his barely official school organization, the N.A.T. Club, to have a section on the yearbook, even if the charter consisted of three students.  
  
Jason DiLaurentis was a creep, a relatively attractive young man with dark-blond hair and eerie green eyes. One of Jason’s morbid ideas, the N.A.T. Club, was supposed to film interesting videos and practice cinematic concepts. Melissa knew that deep down, Jason was just a pervert who used Ian as a pawn in his malignant schemes. Their mutual friend, Garrett Reynolds, was the third member of the idiotic cult. 

Sometimes Melissa felt that she stayed with Ian because the boy was lost without her, as if she needed to save him from his own darkness. It was almost as if her failure to rescue Charlie from his torment had manifested into a commitment to Ian, that she had transferred her feelings for a blond boy with gentle blue eyes to a dark-haired young man who didn't measure up.  
  
The memory of Charlie always weighed heavily on Melissa's mind, especially in the moments that Ian disappointed her. She couldn't help but dream of a different universe, an alternate reality where Charlie was her doting boyfriend.   
  
Melissa might have ended her torrid affair with Ian that day if it hadn't been for the perfectly gift-wrapped package that she had found on her porch in the late evening.  
  
Decorated in blue floral paper, the box looked too precious to tear into. When Melissa finally opened it, she was astounded to find a silky leopard-print scarf inside, with a complimentary bag of butterscotch candies.  
  
As Melissa inspected the material of the fabric, she could tell that the gift was expensive. It almost seemed too thoughtful of a present to be from Ian.  
  
The next time that she saw Ian, when the brunette girl thanked him for the scarf, his face gave away the truth. Although he accepted the credit for giving her the meaningful present, Melissa could tell from the initial expression on his face that he had no idea what she was talking about.  
  
Instead of starting an investigation about the mysterious stranger who had given her a leopard-print scarf, Melissa decided to delude herself into believe that Ian had never forgotten her birthday. Living a lie was better than chasing after ghosts.

* * *

Alison DiLaurentis was a nightmare.  
  
It made sense that Alison would choose to flirt with Ian on Halloween, since the underage girl was such a witch.   
  
The DiLaurentis family lived in the estate next to the Hastings household. Kenneth and Jessica DiLaurentis were a seemingly regular couple. Native to Rosewood, they had left town before Melissa was born, living somewhere in Georgia for twelve years. When they returned, the couple purchased the property that neighbored the Hastings residence.

There was animosity between both families, but Melissa had never understood the origin of the conflict. As in the Shakespearean tale, _Romeo and Juliet_ , the Hastings and the DiLaurentis behaved similar to the Montagues and the Capulets, forever waging a pointless rivalry.

Despite all of the tension, both sets of parents allowed their children to socialize amongst themselves, which led to Alison becoming Spencer's best friend. The young blonde spent a lot of time with Melissa's little sister, a fact that the older girl resented.

Alison was precocious and vindictive. Not even Jason, her older brother, could manage to control the girl. Melissa tried to maintain peace between her and Alison, for the sake of pleasing Spencer. Her efforts were often in vain, since the devious blonde frequently tried to provoke Melissa.

Eric Kahn, an infamous rich young man who was Melissa's age, he had thrown a lavish party for Halloween. A rock band was playing, a table full of snacks was on display, and everyone was wearing elaborate costumes. Basically everyone in Rosewood under the age of thirty had been invited, including Alison, Spencer, and their three other friends; Emily Fields, Hanna Marin, and Aria Montgomery. 

Emily was a sensible brunette with dark skin, the tallest girl in the group. Although she was disguised as a Native American for Halloween, she usually wore conservative clothing, fabric with pastel coloring. Emily seemed mature, always behaving courteous in front of Spencer’s family. Out of her little sister's friends, Emily annoyed Melissa the least.

Hanna was a jovial blonde, friendly and perky. She was slightly overweight, but it didn't negate the fact that the blue-eyed girl was really pretty. Hanna often obeyed Alison like a sheep, laughing at her friend's jokes and swooning over every devious scheme that the golden-haired vixen concocted. For her lack of self-confidence and courage, Melissa thought that Hanna was irritating, a poor imitation of Alison.

Aria was an artistic, short brunette. Unconventional and rebellious, she had a few strands of her hair dyed in a bright shade of pink. Aria's liberal family allowed her to express herself, a stark contrast from the pressure that Veronica and Peter placed on the shoulders of their two daughters. Melissa envied Aria on a personal level, jealous of the freedom that the younger girl's sympathetic parents gave their child.

Among the attendees, Melissa spotted some random faces. Jenna Marshall, a green-eyed girl who had recently moved to Rosewood was conversing with a police officer, Darren Wilden. The man was a bit too old to be athe the party, but Eric knew that it was better to have a sleazy authority figure on your side than as an enemy. Darren might be helpful, since Halloween parties full of costumes, alcohol, and teenagers were usually volatile.  
  
Melissa chose to be Bonnie Parker, complete with a golden short wig that resembled Faye Dunaway's interpretation of the female thief. Ian had reluctantly agreed to dress as Clyde Barrow, as long as Melissa bought the outfit herself.   
  
The matching disguises was an adorable idea at first, but watching as Alison tried to seduce Ian, the brunette regretted her decision. Everyone now knew that she was Ian's girlfriend, forcing her to either act territorial or be submissive, both scenarios were incredibly embarrassing.  
  
Melissa lunged toward Ian, grabbing the young man by the lapels of his suit and smashing their lips together. The kiss felt the same as always; empty and hollow. When Melissa pulled back, she wiped the smeared lipstick off from her mouth and threw a glance in Alison's direction.  
  
The blonde smirked and Melissa saw something odd flicker in the young girl's blue eyes. In that instant, the raven-haired woman realized why she truly disliked Alison; because they were the same.  
  
Melissa and Alison held some sort of torment in their soul, a secret longing that they buried deep inside. Their hearts belonged to someone else and Ian was just a waste of time for them both.   
  
Charlie.  
  
A name that Melissa would never forget. It haunted the brunette every single day, but it only managed to pain her when she gazed into Alison's cerulean irises.  
  
For a moment, Melissa wondered who Alison was tragically in love with. As she witnessed the blonde retreating back to her group of friends, Melissa spotted a dark-haired girl with her arms crossed, unimpressed with Alison's display of affection toward Ian.  
  
Emily Fields was Alison's dream. 

* * *

Whether it had been because of Alison's devious machinations or the weight that their parents placed upon them, but something had effectively strained Melissa's relationship with Spencer. Every time that the she visited her family in Rosewood during a vacation break that her college granted the students with, an argument ensued between the sisters.  
  
It appeared that the pressures of being a Hastings had finally been too much for Spencer to handle, and the fear of disappointing her parents had consumed her completely.  
  
With redshot eyes, and a jittery composure, it was obvious to everyone but Veronica and Peter that their youngest daughter was abusing some sort of dangerous substance. Melissa had to try to intervene before their parents found out, she had to confront Spencer about her behavior.   
  
"Spencer, we need to talk." Melissa knocked on her sister’s bedroom door, "Please, open up."  
  
"No, we don't!" An agitated Spencer burst out of her room, and running away from Melissa.  
  
"Yes, we do." Melissa quickly grabbed a hold of Spencer’s arm, "Spence, are you abusing drugs?"  
  
"Why do you even care, Melissa?" Spencer cried as tears threatened to spill from her eyes, "We can't all be perfect like you, some of us are human beings with actual feelings!"  
  
Her heart cracked, and Melissa felt genuinely hurt by her younger sibling's harsh words. She released her grip on the girl's limb, stepping back, allowing the brunette to bolt down the stairs.  
  
From a distance, Melissa heard Spencer slam the front door shut, and sighed sadly to herself. She had to go out for a while, to think of some way that she could get through to her younger sister. After giving Spencer some time to cool down, Melissa would attempt to speak to her once again.  
  
However, when Melissa arrived home in the late afternoon, she found Veronica throwing a bunch of her own items in the trash. Several of the dark-haired woman's old skirts and blouses were ripped to shreds, clothing articles that she had left in her old room before heading to college a few years ago.  
  
"Mom, what's going on?" Melissa asked as she watched her mother rummage through her shredded items.  
  
"Spencer, she was- I mean, she's been abusing her adderall medication." Veronica ran a hand through her hair in desperation, "I'm sorry, Melissa. I didn't think that she would do something like this."  
  
"It's okay, it was just some of my old clothes anyways." Melissa comforted Veronica, "What are we going to do about Spencer, mom?"  
  
"I don't k-know. She doesn't know that I suspect this. Don't tell your father, please." Veronica sighed as she grabbed Melissa’s torn teddy bear, "Melissa, I'm so sorry, I know how much you loved this plushie."  
  
Clenching her fists, Melissa just couldn't help but feel a tidal wave of anger wash over her. As she held the tattered teddy bear in her arms, the dark-haired woman couldn't contain her rage.  
  
"This is Alison’s fault! All she does is poison Spencer’s brain, encouraging all her stupid decisions." Melissa growled, "I'm just so tired of this."  
  
"Honey, calm down." Veronica placed her hands on Melissa’s shoulders, "Alison is Spencer’s best friend. If we prohibit them from seeing each other, we will only distant your sister from us even more."  
  
"I loved this bear." Melissa stated sadly, "We got it at some diner during a road trip to the Campbell farm."  
  
"The Two Crows." Veronica recalled the name of the quaint little restaurant, "I'm so sorry, Melissa."   
  
"I d-don't think that I can sleep in my bedroom tonight, I am going to be at the barnhouse. Summer is almost over, I'll be back in Philadelphia s-soon enough." Melissa’s voice trembled as she squeezed her plush animal, "I'm going to try a fix this, with the sewing kit."  
  
The squeaky couch in the Hastings barnhouse was uncomfortable, but Melissa couldn't stand to be near to Spencer right now. Besides the necklace that she kept in her pocket, this bear plush was the only possession that connected Melissa to Charlie, a souvenir from the Campbell apple farm, the place where she had met the blond boy for the first time. 

Hours and hours had passed by, with Melissa desperately trying to reconstruct her bear plushie. All her efforts were in vain, the toy was broken beyond repair. Tears streaming down her cheeks, Melissa fell asleep at some point during the night.  
  
Sunbeams woke her up the next day, and Melissa found herself in a bewildering situation. The thread and needle were placed on the floor, a blanket had been thrown over her, and her plushie was tucked in her arms, looking as good as new.  
  
Melissa wasn't sure what had transpired or how she had managed to fix the cotton bear. With a splitting headache, the dark-haired headed toward the Hastings house. There was no mystery that she couldn't solve without a hot cup of coffee.

* * *

Ian was being a prick.

For some reason, Melissa had assumed that going to a college frat party would help rekindle the spark that had burnt out in their relationship. Obviously, Melissa was still stupid when it came to social interactions.

Ian just wasn't the same as when they had first started dating, or maybe, Melissa had just grown tired of his immaturity. To make matters worse, Ian had left her alone in the middle of the courtyard, to go talk with his best friends, Jason and Garrett.

Apparently, Jason was still trying to sleep with a young woman that had sneaked into the Rosewood High yearbook photoshoot. From what Ian had told Melissa, it seemed that the girl was a major flirt. Although she enjoyed spending time with Jason, she hadn't even kissed him yet. She would disappear for months and then show up at Jason's house one day as if she had never left.

Consequently, Ian and Garret had been teasing Jason, claiming that the blond boy was stuck in the "friend-zone". Honestly, Garrett shouldn't be so judgmental; he was dating Jenna Marshall, a  _high school_  girl.

Since Ian had left Melissa by herself to go and gossip about girls with his two friends, the brunette was bored out of her mind. He wasn't answering his mobile phone so she couldn't even get a hold of Ian to make a dramatic break-up scene. Melissa was thirsty, but refilling her red solo cup around a bunch of horny college undergraduates seemed like a bad idea at best. Therefore, she settled for pacing around the snack table impatiently, waiting for Ian to return.

"Well, you seem to be having a great time."

When Melissa spun around to confront whoever had just spoken to her; she found herself face to face with the prettiest girl that she had ever seen. I mean, Melissa considered herself to be extremely attractive, no point in faking any modesty, but this young woman was ethereal.

The playful stranger had wavy long golden locks that seemed too perfect to be real, and an enchanting pair of aqua eyes that seemed like they could look directly into your soul. Melissa's thoughts weren't typically this corny, but this girl was worth her off-character remarks.

"My boyfriend is a jerk.” Melissa replied casually, “I can't dump him because he has disappeared on me, and I can't even leave this party because he drove me here. Men are idiots."

"Maybe it's time to quit them?" The blonde girl said as she gave Melissa a wide grin that would put the Cheshire cat from Wonderland to shame.

"I haven't had enough alcohol to accept that offer just yet." Melissa countered with a mischievous smile of her own.

"Well, I haven't offered anything, but when I do, I'll need you to be completely sober in order to accept." The cute girl winked before continuing, "But now, how about I just offer you a ride home? The guy I came with ran off to play with his friends, and I feel like it's my time to retire for the evening."

Melissa took a moment to consider. She honestly should stay, talk to Ian, reach an understanding, and have him take her home, even if it  _is_  for the last time. She really needed to dump him sooner or later.  
  
However, something about the way the girl smiled at her gave her a feeling that she hadn't felt in years, a feeling that Ian had never given her.

"S-Sure. Thanks. I mean, if you don't mind giving me a ride, after all, you don't even know me, I'm a stranger." Melissa responded politely.

The blonde girl burst into a fit of giggles. Her laughter was so honest, so contagious. Melissa couldn’t stop herself from chuckling alongside the blonde.

"I'm sorry. I'll have to remedy this stranger situation. My name is CeCe. CeCe Drake." The girl flicked her hair back as she spoke. It was a rehearsed flirty move that probably worked on most of the guys that CeCe met. Melissa wasn't going to admit that it had  _definitely_  worked on her.

Intriguingly, CeCe's eyes began to twinkle with an unusual spark of something; Melissa couldn't quite pinpoint exactly what it was.

"Oh, I'm Melissa." Melissa replied with a smile.

"No last name?" CeCe smiled cheekily, as if she knew the punchline of a joke.

"Hastings. It's funny, when I was little, I would give out my full name.” Melissa stated, “Some things change with time."

"Yet others never do,  _Melissa Hastings_." CeCe replied.

There was this peculiar tone in CeCe's voice as she pronounced Melissa's full name. As if she knew Melissa, as if she were a long forgotten friend.

"Well, are you coming?" CeCe called out to her, snapping Melissa away from her thoughts. Maybe all the alcohol she had consumed was affecting her; maybe she really should head out home.

"Yes. I'm sorry. Maybe I'm tipsier than I thought I was." Melissa stated.  
  
"I'll gladly to escort you out." CeCe smiled warmly and hooked her arm with Melissa's own, "I promise to get you home safely."  
  
The lively blonde girl navigated them out of the yard without noticing how puzzled Melissa looked. 

There was just something familiar about CeCe. Melissa shook her head. It had been so long ago, and it had been a  _boy_. No, this was just some sort of girl crush brought on by the fact that CeCe was just undeniably  _stunning_.

"Here we are. This is my car." CeCe said as she untangled herself from Melissa and left her standing in the middle of the parking lot.  
  
CeCe gracefully walked toward the silver Volkswagen Beetle automobile. She stopped at the passenger door and opened it. The blonde did a hand gesture that Melissa understood as her cue to board the vehicle.

"Are you okay, pretty girl?" CeCe raised an eyebrow playfully.  
  
Melissa was trying to keep calm. CeCe acted just like that boy. That infuriating, but charming boy. That forward, but playful boy. That cocky, but magnetic boy. But it couldn't be. Maybe they were related, Melissa thought to herself. That had to be it.

Melissa sat down on the passenger side. She began collecting her thoughts as CeCe walked around the car and slipped into the driver's seat.

"Do you know a Charlie?" Melissa abruptly asked. She was trying to gauge CeCe's response. However, the blonde replied calmly.

"Is that your boyfriend's name?" CeCe inquired.

"No. I mean, I-I'm sorry. I don't know why I asked." Melissa turned away, she was embarrassed. CeCe had nothing to do with Charlie, Melissa was being absurd.

They rode in silence, apart from Melissa indicating to CeCe where to make the turns that led to her house. Oddly enough, it seemed like CeCe knew how to get there, a thought that Melissa found unnerving.

When CeCe finally pulled up into the Hastings driveway, Melissa almost jumped out of the car. She was just too nervous, and she didn't even know why. Maybe it was the fear of saying another stupid thing in front of CeCe.

The brunette turned around to thank the girl. CeCe hadn't stepped out of the car, but had lowered the window in hopes of conversing with Melissa.

"Thank you, it was really nice for you to go out of your way to give a stranger a ride home." Melissa stated.

"Well, we're hardly strangers,  _Melissa Hastings_." CeCe smiled.

There it was again, that strange way of pronouncing every syllable in Melissa's name as if she had been waiting a lifetime to say it out loud. Although she hadn't turned off the vehicle, CeCe seemed in no hurry to drive away.

"Well, it was still very attentive of you." Melissa said as stood still in place. She didn't want the night to end, but she also didn't know how to prolong it any further. How do you become friends with a mysterious girl who drove you home?

"I'll see you around, I'm sure." CeCe grinned.

"How?" Melissa couldn't stop herself from blurting out.

"I always manage to find you." CeCe replied as she shifted the car into drive. 

Melissa remained stuck in a state of bewilderment as she watched CeCe's silver Volkswagen Beetle disappear into the night. 

* * *

CeCe Drake was true to her word. A few days after the college party incident, she appeared on the doorstep of the Hastings household. She was wearing one of her signature bohemian dresses and sporting her hair down loose.  
  
Melissa thought the blonde girl looked absolutely gorgeous. Although the brunette girl had opened the door without hesitating, she questioned why CeCe had decided to spontaneously show up at her house.

"CeCe?" Melissa greeted her unexpected visitor. It was noon and the brunette was pretending to dwell on the nonexistent heartache that breaking up with Ian had caused her.

"Yes?" CeCe replied.

"What are you-"

"Cheering you up. Jason told me that you had broken up with Ian, so here I am." CeCe interjected as she invited herself in. She stood in the middle of the living room with a devious grin.

"Jason? You're that girl he's been trying to hook up with for all these years? Ian? Ugh.” Melissa groaned, “I need coffee to process this."

"Perfect! My treat." CeCe grabbed Melissa's hand and pulled her through the door.

"No, that's not what I meant. I mean-"

"It'll be fun. Consider it a night out with the girls, well, with one girl, or something." CeCe interrupted her as she dragged Melissa toward her familiar silver car.

Melissa wasn't resisting, and she was doing a poor job at looking unenthusiastic at the prospect of spending the whole day with CeCe.

"Okay, maybe I came off too strong, but I thought you could use the distraction. I'm a good distraction, if n-nothing else." CeCe's voice faltered with the final phrase. Melissa could have sworn that the blonde girl almost seemed vulnerable.

"I'll be the judge of what you're good at." Melissa conceded a smile and walked around the vehicle, confidently opening the passenger door and sliding in.

"Challenged accepted." And just like that, CeCe had built up her walls again. With a sly grin, she boarded the Volkswagen Beetle.  
  
A wistful sigh escaped Melissa's parted lips. She had a self-proposed challenge of her own. The brunette was going to permanently tear down all of CeCe's figurative defenses. She vowed to uncover the girl who hid behind a charming facade. The artificial persona known as CeCe Drake, a young woman that Melissa yearned to become thoroughly acquainted with.


	3. A Girl Reveals A Secret

Chapter 3

A Girl Reveals A Secret

* * *

 

The days slipped into weeks, and in an instant, CeCe became the closest thing to a best friend that Melissa had ever dreamed of having. Movie viewings, poolside hangouts, exotic dinners, coffee dates, late brunches, CeCe had filled Melissa's summer with endless trills and excitement.

In all honesty, Melissa never had a best friend. She was popular, so she had plenty of acquaintances, and if she needed company on a weekend, the brunette was sure that she could contact any given number of people who would be happy to spend time with her.

However, CeCe was different. She didn't care that Melissa was the daughter of two influential lawyers, or that the Hastings were one of the wealthiest families in all of Pennsylvania. Actually, CeCe usually insisted on paying for the expenses of their outings.

Around CeCe, Melissa didn't feel the need to act pretentious and snobby. She reminded Melissa of a time when she could just be herself. It was more than that though. CeCe ignited feelings in Melissa that she wasn't quite sure how to handle.

It wasn't as if the thought of being attracted to a female hadn't crossed Melissa's mind before, she had engaged in her share of casual flings with women at college parties. Ian didn't seem to mind, his male ego persuaded him into assuming that the affairs were meaningless.   
  
For her part, Melissa just  _despised_  labels. Also, who was to say CeCe even thought of her that way? Sure, the blonde was flirty, and she had spent most of the summer friend-zoning Jason, but that didn't mean she was interested in Melissa.

Maybe blond guys just weren't her type? Perhaps dark-haired guys were? Hopefully dark-haired  _girls_  were?  
  
Either way, Melissa found herself interrogating CeCe about Jason on one of their casual coffee dates at local café, The Brew.  
  
“Alison drives me crazy sometimes. Do you know that she gets into fights with everyone is this town?” CeCe snickered, “She’s such a little harpy.”  
  
“You make it sound like she’s cute.” Melissa rolled her eyes, “She’s sort of a snake.”  
  
“Well, a cute sort of snake.” CeCe smiled.  
  
“Snakes are cold-blooded reptiles, not really cute.”  
  
“Some cold-blooded creatures are rather adorable.”  
  
“I guess you're right. Maybe some cold-blooded creatures are just waiting for the right person to warm them up.”  
  
“I could be the right person.” CeCe quipped.

Melissa was having a hard time convincing herself that the golden-haired woman was referring to Alison. Cerulean irises flickered with an unreadable sentiment.

"Speaking of the right person, what's your deal with Jason?" Melissa tried to sound casual, as her heart began thumping loudly.

"He's just a friend." CeCe didn't seem annoyed at Melissa's question, just uninterested in discussing Jason.  
  
"Oh." Melissa was not satisfied with CeCe's answer.

"Speaking of which, he wants me to go to Cape May with his family this weekend." CeCe added.

"That usually means that he considers you more than a friend." Melissa didn't mean to sound so venomous, but she couldn't help it. She wasn't a subtle person. Her jealousy was slipping out.

"I guess. I'll just have to bring you along to protect me from his advances." Either CeCe hadn't noticed how flustered Melissa had become, or she had chosen to ignore it. She continued on, as if inviting Melissa to her suitor's planned romantic getaway was a perfectly normal idea.

"You could take my car, drive up there, and then pretend to run into me. It'd be great. Why hurt Jason's feelings when-"

" _When_  you can keep leading him on." Melissa spat the sentence out. She was irrationally mad, and she wasn't sure she wanted to admit to herself the real reason why. She was just looking out for Jason, right?  
  
Truth be told, Melissa couldn’t care less about Jason. She just thought that CeCe could do better, and her envy was making her irrational.

However, CeCe seemed less than perturbed. She just kept stirring her coffee, calm as ever.

"Well, you keep sending Alison threatening messages, telling her to stop flirting with Ian. Do you still have feelings for him?" CeCe retorted, a sparkle of anger flashed across her eyes. Melissa was caught off-guard.

Ian Thomas had been her boyfriend for years, and although he was a useless bastard, the dark-haired girl hated the fact that Alison thought she had been the reason that Melissa ended her relationship with the young man.

"No." Melissa replied sincerely, "I just hate the fact that Alison thinks she's won. Even my father despises her."  
  
"Oh?" CeCe encouraged Melissa to elaborate.  
  
Part of Melissa really wanted to discuss the weird animosity that Peter Hastings had for the DiLaurentis family. She thought that maybe she could unravel the reasons why her father hated their golden-haired neighbors if CeCe helped her. The blonde was so observant, full of answers to questions that Melissa hadn't even answered yet.  
  
Another part of Melissa, a voice that always echoed in her head, begged the brunette to drop the subject. Most mysteries in Rosewood should remain buried.  
  
"Before I broke up with Ian, we had a horrible argument about Alison. The night that I began to send her angry messages, my father comforted me." Recalling the incident, Melissa sounded confused by Peter's reaction, "He seemed proud of me."  
  
"Proud that you were harassing a teenager?" CeCe teased.  
  
Melissa realized that the blonde had deflected from her own situation with Jason DiLaurentis.  
  
"Well, are you proud that you're playing games with Jason?" Melissa quipped.  
  
CeCe sighed as she began twirling the straw around her coffee. The smaller girl’s eyes twinkled with an unspoken emotion.  
  
"I-I'm just not ready to hurt Jason's feelings yet.” CeCe stared at her cup dejectedly, “I know how horrible it can feel when the person you like doesn't reciprocate your affections."  
  
"Who would be idiotic enough not to like you?" Melissa blushed as the words poured out.  
  
The brunette couldn't help it. CeCe had this way of making her feel secure and carefree. The golden-haired girl made her feel too many things, and Melissa knew that would be her downfall in the long run.  
  
Surprisingly, CeCe's face turned several shades of red. Melissa's comment had stunned the blonde. However, she quickly composed herself.  
  
"Well, I guess then there's hope for me yet." CeCe smiled.  
  
Melissa couldn't help but notice the playful glint in CeCe's sapphire irises. She couldn't help but realize that she had fallen for the blonde. She couldn't help but accept that she was utterly doomed. 

* * *

The long drive to New Jersey in CeCe’s Volkswagen Beetle had been worth the effort. Being at Cape May, surround by a bunch of drunken fools, was a lot more fun than Melissa had expected it to be. Honestly, CeCe had a way of making everything seem more entertaining, from walks along the beach to swims in the ocean, the blonde’s enthusiasm was infectious.

Since Melissa wasn't a fan of any of the members of the DiLaurentis family, she found herself focusing on CeCe Drake for the entirety of the mini-vacation. Although she couldn't stand Jason's little sister, Alison, she tried her best to keep up appearances. After all, CeCe had grown fixated on Alison. She had almost adopted the young girl like a sibling of sorts.

The first night at Cape May had been the best. It was long past midnight when CeCe and Melissa found themselves by the beach shores, simply listening to the waves crash. Sitting with CeCe in the dark, enjoying the conformable silence between them, it brought back memories of another golden-haired person that Melissa treasured. For some reason, CeCe never failed to remind her of Charles.

Melissa’s gaze slowly traveled from the sea, to the the blonde’s face, studying her in the rare bath of starlight. Her grin never faltered, even as she talked, her eyes reflected the brightest celestial bodies, and her pale skin rivaled the ocean in beauty. The soft, gentle curve of her cheek seemed even more gorgeous in the glimmering moonlight. CeCe caught her staring, smiling even wider.

“What are you thinking about?”

CeCe’s voice pulled Melissa away from her daydream. She turned to face the dark-haired woman. The light of the beach cabin lanterns illuminated the blonde’s curls, producing an unbelievably radiant sight.

“You.” Melissa replied sincerely, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind CeCe’s ear.

“Oh.” CeCe stared into Melissa’s dark pupils, “Are you thinking nice things about me?”

“The nicest things that you could possibly imagine.” Melissa was being uncharacteristically forward, but something in the way that CeCe’s irises sparkled when they looked at her was too much for the brunette to process clearly.

CeCe simply smiled, gently grabbing the dark-haired woman’s hand and scooting closer. She rested her head against Melissa’s shoulder, closing her eyes, the rhythmic sound of the ocean luring the blonde girl to sleep. Melissa thought that she was in paradise.

Unfortunately, nothing ever lasts, and Alison seemed to have a knack for getting herself into trouble. On the third night at Cape May, CeCe begged Melissa to accompany her on a boating trip. She confided to Melissa that Alison had seduced an older man, Darren Wilden. As it turns out, the man was a sleazy police officer. He had offered to take Alison out on his yacht. Melissa was reluctant to go along, but CeCe convinced her that they had to look out for the younger blonde girl. Since Jason was too busy smoking marijuana and drinking with his friends, CeCe _had_ to escort Alison.

Truthfully, Melissa agreed because she thought that this boating trip would be the closest thing to an actual date with CeCe Drake that she could ever hope to acquire.

Seeing how CeCe behaved around the DiLaurentis clan, Melissa realized something strange. CeCe never spoke about her own family. Most of her stories revolved around either the bitchy pranks that Alison concocted or the pointless things that Jason did. She was freakishly attached to that family. Maybe she was an orphan?

Luckily, Melissa would get some alone time with CeCe on the return trip to Rosewood. CeCe decided to take back ownership of her silver vehicle for the drive back home. The blue-eyed woman claimed that she needed a break from Alison's childish drama. The young girl had spent the whole car ride to Cape May exchanging meaningless gossip notes with CeCe and embarrassing Jason in from of the older blonde. CeCe just wanted a peaceful ride home.

Melissa considered herself close to CeCe; she thought this road trip would be the best time to find out something about the older girl’s past.

"You know how Ali and I look alike, right? Well, she dared me to go to the Radley-"

"You never mention your family." Melissa interrupted.

"There's not much to talk about." CeCe didn't take her eyes off the road as she continued chatting, "Did you know that Alison thought Wilden had impregnated her? She's such-"

"Avoidance." Melissa rolled her eyes, “Nice.”

"I just don't think they're worth mentioning." CeCe remained her casual self.

"So, what  _is_  worth mentioning?" Melissa was frustrated. She was trying to get to know CeCe, on a more personal level.

At this point, CeCe knew everything about the brunette girl. However, Melissa didn't know a single detail about the older girl's life. Melissa bit on her lower lip in anguish.

" _You._  You're worth mentioning." CeCe's voice did not falter.

For once in her life, Melissa Hastings was left without an appropriate response. She remained speechless as a blush invaded her face.

On the other hand, CeCe's face had paled. She seemed to be in a state of distraught about something. Her eyes were glazing over. Something had agitated her.

Melissa felt guilty, she wanted to give CeCe some form of comfort, but displays of affection weren't exactly her forte. However, she decided CeCe was worth an effort. She reached out and placed her hand on CeCe's right cheek, urging the blonde girl to turn back and face her.

"You're worth mentioning too." Melissa gently caressed CeCe's cheek before letting her hand drop back to her lap. Suddenly, the blonde was grinning ear from ear.

The rest of the car ride went by uneventful; apart from the side glances that Melissa and CeCe would give one another when they thought the other wasn't looking.

As CeCe drove up to the Hastings driveway, Melissa thought about apologizing for being so intrusive. However, she still felt a tinge of resentment toward the blonde girl. The brunette girl had confided so many things about herself to CeCe during these past weeks, and older girl hadn't confided in her with anything.

CeCe shifted the car into park and cleared her throat. She glanced at Melissa. The dark-haired girl didn't notice CeCe staring because she was still engrossed in her own thoughts.

"Well, we're here." CeCe announced.

As Melissa remained lost in thought, CeCe reached out and gently brushed some of the younger girl's chocolate locks away from her face.

"Mel, are you okay?" CeCe rested her hand on Melissa's shoulder, trying to encourage the brunette girl to look at her. After a few seconds, Melissa turned to face CeCe, gazing into the blonde girl's crystalline blue eyes.

"I'm not sure, CeCe." Melissa sighed.

"What is it? You can tell me anything, you know that." CeCe replied sincerely.

"Yes, I know that, but do you? You can tell me anything, but you don't. You don't tell me anything at all, CeCe. I've given you everything, and you've given me nothing." Melissa declared.

CeCe seemed taken aback by Melissa's blunt words and by her complimentary firm stare. However, instead of pulling away, the older girl leaned into the brunette. Her hand moved from resting on Melissa's shoulder to lightly cupping the younger girl's chin.

"Mel, I'm sorry, I-" CeCe didn't know what to say. She couldn’t articulate a response, but Melissa's glare didn't waiver.

Melissa wasn't sure what she wanted, but she couldn't back down, especially with the way that CeCe's eyes were gazing back into her own.

CeCe tilted her own head slightly, and Melissa saw something flash in her grey-blue eyes that seemingly indicated that the blonde girl had made a decision about something. This is what Melissa wanted, for CeCe to open up to her.

However, the blonde hadn't decided on speaking. She leaned in and closed the gap between them. The moment Melissa felt CeCe's soft lips touch her own, all her coherent thoughts vanished. She snaked her arms around the smaller girl's waist and pulled her in.

CeCe smiled into their kiss, as Melissa softly nibbled on her lower lip. The blonde hadn't expected the other girl to be this responsive.

As Melissa's tongue asked for entrance into her mouth, CeCe leaned in closer and placed her free hand around the taller girl's neck. She politely granted Melissa's tongue with the permission it desperately wanted.

Melissa was overjoyed; she had always thought that her crush was one-sided. Kissing Ian had been mechanical and dry, but kissing CeCe Drake was a truly surreal experience; a brief glimpse of heaven. She felt warm and tingly as she explored the blonde girl’s mouth.

Suddenly, a memory flashed through Melissa's head; the memory of a boy with fair blond hair and soft lips. She abruptly pulled back, her eyes widening.

"Charlie..." Melissa whispered.

Melissa didn't know how or why, but CeCe was Charlie. She had to be. It felt the same, everything felt the same. Melissa sensed an air of familiarity around CeCe.

"See? I've been giving you everything since I w-was seven years old." CeCe's voice cracked.

The blonde girl's eyes began to water, and she couldn't help it. She wasn't sure how to explain herself. CeCe was tired of the judgment and the prejudice that came with admitting who she was.

Melissa would mock her. The flawless brunette wouldn't accept the freakish girl who had been born a boy. Her tears turned into choked sobs.

"CeCe? Don't cry, baby, please don't cry." Melissa wrapped her arms around CeCe, embracing the golden-haired girl gently. She had questions, of course, but CeCe was more important than the answers. The blonde was uncomfortable, and that wasn't fair.

"Y-You wouldn't u-understand, you wouldn't like a f-freak." CeCe cried hysterically.

Melissa just held CeCe tighter. She didn't know what to say. She had to say something though; CeCe was trembling in her arms.

"CeCe, Freddy, Charlie, whoever you are, it doesn't matter. You have to know that it doesn't matter to me." Melissa felt CeCe nuzzle into her neck in protest. The smaller girl didn't seem to believe the brunette’s words.

"CeCe, I don't care. I don't. You used to be Charlie, you pretended to be Freddy, and now you're CeCe, right? Is that why you can't talk about your family? They didn't approve? Baby, did they institutionalized you just because you're a girl who was born in a boy's body?" CeCe nodded, each of Melissa's conclusions had been correct.

The dark-haired woman’s heart ached for the blonde. She needed CeCe to know that she would never judge the smaller girl for being who she was. More importantly, Melissa needed CeCe to feel safe with her.

"I understand, CeCe. I don't care, at all. I didn’t care when Freddy told me he played with dolls, remember? Baby, please don’t cry.” Melissa spoke softly, “Please, I won’t judge you. Nothing has changed."

CeCe's sobs were subsiding as Melissa kept holding her close, caressing her back tenderly. The golden-haired girl began to feel less tense, and Melissa started to loosen her hold accordingly.

"CeCe, do you feel better?" Melissa felt CeCe pull back from her embrace.

"I-I don't understand. Aren't you disgusted?" CeCe looked genuinely confused. Tears streaked down her cheeks.

Melissa couldn't think of a reply, it was all so absurd. How could she ever feel disgusted by CeCe? The blonde girl was charismatic, beautiful, caring, funny, smart, and a million other lovely adjectives that Melissa could spend the whole night listing.

The brunette brought up her hands and held CeCe's face in her palms. She wiped the tears away with her thumbs. CeCe hiccuped; a new round of sobs seemed to be building up in her throat.

"CeCe, if anything, I'm embarrassed that I didn't guess it sooner. I've fallen in love with you three times." Melissa smiled tenderly, "I’m not disgusted, okay? I just simply love you."

Melissa couldn't stop herself. She had dropped the "L" word, before they had even gone on an actual date. She wasn't lying though, she did love CeCe. She had loved Charlie. She had loved Freddy. Hell, if CeCe wore a black wig and started going by a different name, she'd still love her.

"You're amazing, Melissa Hastings. I've loved you for as long as I can remember." CeCe didn't hesitate with her reply.

The blonde wasn't lying to make Melissa feel better about her own declaration. The girl with the soulful eyes and wavy dark brown hair had been permanently engraved into her mind from the moment they first met. CeCe had spent years in Radley, always thinking about Melissa Hastings, the person who owned her heart.

In the fleeting instances that CeCe was allowed to leave the Radley Sanitarium, she would watch over Melissa, admire the brunette from afar. On the day that CeCe had intruded into the yearbook photoshoot at Rosewood High and approached Jason, she heard that Ian hadn't remembered Melissa's birthday. Within hours, CeCe had carefully placed a gift on the front porch of the Hastings household.

Attending the University of Pennsylvania, studying business just like Melissa, the girl with the familiar blue eyes tried to stay away, to avoid being seen by the brunette. It would be painful, the idea of being rejected by Melissa Hastings. The dark-haired woman was dating Ian Thomas, a handsome man who was everything that CeCe Drake wasn't and everything that Charlie might have been.

It was hard to resist the urge to interact with Melissa, especially when she witnessed the raven-haired girl crying over a headless toy plush. CeCe had been dropping off Alison at the DiLaurentis household when she loitered behind to catch a glimpse of Melissa. Seeing her sob over a torn teddy bear, CeCe's own heart broke in two.

Draping a blanket over Melissa as she slumbered, sewing up the plushie and tucking it into the brunette's arms. CeCe knew that she was being creepy, but it was hard to idly watch as Melissa suffered without doing something to fix the problem.

CeCe's self-restraint shattered when she saw Melissa at the college frat party. A familiar bird pendent was hanging around the raven-haired girl's neck, and the blonde just couldn't control herself any longer. Melissa had grown up to become a breathtakingly gorgeous woman, and she deserved someone better than Ian Thomas.

However, CeCe had never imagine that she'd be here, spilling her guts out to Melissa, trusting her with her most shameful secret. She'd never imagine that Melissa would love her, in spite of everything that she was.

"Well, that's good.” Melissa giggled to lighten the mood, “We're in love with each other."

"Mel, I don't know how to e-explain. You know, w-what I am, it-" CeCe was still self-conscious.

"You used to be a boy, and you're a girl now. I don't care, I love you. I'll support whoever you want to be. By the way, you're super hot now." Melissa teased lightly. She had opted for resting her hands on CeCe's waist, giving her space to collect herself, but keeping her comforted with a form of physical contact.

"How can you not care?" CeCe was astonished. She hadn't expected this reaction, not even in her wildest dreams.

"It's simple. I love you, unconditionally." Melissa smiled. She quickly pecked CeCe on the lips, as if sealing a deal.

CeCe grinned, slowly returning to her normal demeanor. She smiled as she pressed her lips onto Melissa's receptive ones. She felt the brunette's hands pull her closer.

The blonde girl proceeded to trace her lips down Melissa's cheek and over her jawline before reaching her neck. Her tongue flicked out against taller woman's skin, and Melissa responded with a moan.

"Sorry, maybe I'm getting carried away." CeCe smiled as she leaned back.

"Maybe we need to get carried away in my room." Melissa smirked suggestively. She didn't release her hold on CeCe's waist. The smaller woman was literally straddling her. During this whole emotional ordeal, CeCe had somehow managed to position herself on top of Melissa.

"Maybe we should." CeCe slid off Melissa as she opened the passenger door and stepped outside. She extended her hand out to Melissa.

"Are you sure that you want this, with me?" CeCe watched as Melissa grabbed her hand and used it to steady herself out of the car.  
  
"I've been wanting this with you for a long time, and seeing you dressed in a skimpy bikini all weekend was torture for me." Melissa smiled to herself as CeCe's face turned an unforeseen shade of crimson.  
  
"Wow. Speechless. I'm amazed. I managed to make you speechless." Melissa seemed amused.  
  
"Well, it was an uncharacteristically blunt comment." CeCe smirked, "Though, I would have appreciated if had stopped staring at my cleavage when I was driving. You're dangerously distracting."  
  
"You still love me." Melissa teased.  
  
"Yeah, I suppose that's true." CeCe retorted sincerely as she allowed herself to be dragged toward the Hastings household.  
  
"You also know, that I love you too." Melissa whispered as she opened the front door.  
  
"Y-Yeah?" CeCe's reply is raspy, and Melissa can tell that the smaller girl still has doubts.  
  
CeCe doesn't believe that anyone could ever truly love her, and Melissa desperately wants to fix that.   
  
"Yes." Melissa declared firmly, as she pulls CeCe inside the house, "I love you, CeCe."


	4. A Girl Thrives In Love

Chapter 4

A Girl Thrives In Love

* * *

 

Morning sunlight rays entered through the thin curtains, shining brightly on CeCe's face and stirring her awake. The golden-haired girl yawned, stretching through the sheets, searching for Melissa. She was startled to find the bed empty.  
  
CeCe sat up on the mattress and pulled the covers with her. The blonde suddenly feeling very vulnerable as she found herself naked and alone in the room. Was Melissa ashamed of what had transpired between them?  
  
"M-Melissa?" CeCe called out nervously.  
  
The blonde heard some rustling and unidentifiable noises coming from afar, followed by the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.  
  
"Yeah, hold on." A familiar voice replied to CeCe.  
  
Melissa struggled with the knob for a second, and then she swung the door wide open. The brunette was wearing an oversized navy blue shirt that went down to her knees, and she was carrying a large food tray.  
  
Her parents were away, and Spencer was at a sleepover somewhere. The dark-haired woman rarely kept tabs on her family's whereabouts.  
  
Making breakfast had been an easy task since no one was home to get in the way, or ask her any invasive questions.   
  
The brunette girl smiled lovingly as she slid across the room. She laid the tray on the bed before sitting across from CeCe.  
  
"So yeah, I didn't know what you liked, but you know, I can basically make everything." Melissa gloated proudly.  
  
"Of course you can, you're Melissa Hastings." CeCe teased with a playful grin.  
  
"Oh, hush. So yeah, pancakes, omelet, bagel, toast, fried eggs, bacon, and-"  
  
CeCe leaned forward, pressing her lips on Melissa’s mouth. She ended the brunette’s ramblings off with a tender kiss.  
  
"Or you can just eat Melissa again. That's fine by me." Melissa joked as CeCe pulled her back in.  
  
"This is the sweetest thing that anyone has done for me." CeCe stated sincerely.  
  
"I can't imagine who wouldn't want to bring you a full breakfast buffet after your performance last night." Melissa grinned as she leaned in to kiss CeCe again.  
  
"Well, there hasn't been anyone else." CeCe replied nonchalantly.   
  
Melissa froze, she was in shock. Had CeCe Drake been a virgin? The thought hadn't crossed Melissa’s mind last night.  
  
"What? I'm your f-first?" Melissa stuttered.  
  
"Is that a problem?" CeCe responded defensively, "I didn't hear you complain about my lack of experience last night. I'll have you know that I've kissed _a lot_ of cute people at bars and parties, so my oral skills are top-notch."  
  
"No. That's not- I mean. I w-would have been gentler. Oh god, Ce. I should have asked. I'm s-so sorry." Melissa’s voice trembled, “CeCe, you deserve so much better. I should have waited.”  
  
CeCe's face started to soften up. Melissa wasn't being judgmental; she was just worried she had been forceful or inappropriate. The brunette girl looked flustered and guilty.  
  
“Melissa, I love you-“  
  
“And I love you. That is exactly why I hate myself.” Melissa interjected firmly, “You mean everything to me, I should have dated you first. I should have taken you out to dinner, o-or to the movies. I shouldn’t have been so eager, so careless.”  
  
“Melissa…”

CeCe’s statement trailed off; the blonde girl didn’t know what to say. She had never seen Melissa so upset.  
  
“I’m an idiot. CeCe, I’m s-sorry.” Melissa’s eyes were brimming with tears.  
  
The dark-haired girl was so overwhelmed. CeCe hadn’t hesitated to lose her virginity with Melissa. She trusted the brunette so purely and without inhibition. Melissa couldn’t stop herself from feeling ashamed; she began to cry.  
  
“Melissa, stop. I wanted to do this with you.” CeCe explained, reaching out with one hand to stroke Melissa’s face, trailing her fingers along the brunette’s cheek as she continued, “I've been dreaming of this moment for so long, from the second that I saw you at prom."  
  
"Wait. At my prom?" Melissa was confused.  
  
"Yes." CeCe nodded, "After the day that I heard you yelling at Ian-"  
  
"You heard that?" Melissa kept interrupting.  
  
"Yes, my duckling." CeCe pecked Melissa’s nose briefly, "But please let me finish."

"O-Okay." Melissa swooned at the fact that CeCe already had pet names for her.  
  
"After the day that I heard you yelling at Ian for not getting you a birthday gift, I couldn't help but follow you around like a lost puppy. I bought you this gorgeous leopard-print scarf-"  
  
Noticing that Melissa wanted to interject, CeCe pressed a finger to her lips, effectively stopping the words that were about to come out of the brunette’s mouth.  
  
"Then I went to your dance with Jason, and I even rigged the election so I would win Prom Queen. I watched you from afar, but you were arguing with Ian. I wanted to see if you'd recognize me, if you'd r-remember." CeCe's voice faltered.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't notice, I was so angry at Ian that I blocked out everything else." Melissa apologized profusely, "I renounced from the Yearbook Committee, so I didn't even get to see your picture."   
  
CeCe shook her head. The blonde began biting her lip nervously before she continued.  
  
"Sometimes I would loiter around the DiLaurentis estate, whenever I'd drive Alison home. One night, I saw that you were trying to fix a teddy bear and-"  
  
"That was you!"  
  
"I also study business at Wharton and-"  
  
"How come I've never seen you?"  
  
"Because I'm like a ninja."   
  
"A ninja who sews."  
  
"My point is, Melissa, loving you is the only thing that I've ever been sure about. Sometimes my mind wanders, it runs off. You keep me grounded." CeCe stated vehemently, "I love you, I've always loved you, and I will love you forever. I fully enjoyed last night."  
  
Melissa’s heart melted as she processed CeCe's confession.  
  
"I love you too." Melissa reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind CeCe’s ear, "I don't know how, but I've always loved you.”  
  
The brunette's face lit up, and she crawled over CeCe to reach her nightstand. Rummaging through her drawers, Melissa pulled out a teddy bear. A leopard-print scarf was wrapped around the toy's neck.  
  
“Oh god, Melissa.” CeCe couldn’t stop smiling, “You kept it?"  
  
"Of course I did." Melissa stated as if it were the most normal thing in the world.  
  
"And you placed it on your teddy bear?" CeCe inspected the plush, bewildered by the sight, "How did you even correlate both things?"  
  
"Both the scarf and the teddy bear make me really happy." Melissa stroked CeCe’s cheek gently, “You make me really happy. I love you, CeCe."  
  
CeCe was so touched; the brunette girl was so endearing. She placed the teddy bear on top of the nightstand before grabbing Melissa’s face, smashing their lips together.  
  
“Melissa, you’re too much.” CeCe muttered as she leaned back.  
  
“Oh, and you probably don’t know, but you were my first kiss.” Melissa grinned playfully, “You were my first kiss, CeCe."  
  
"I didn't know that." CeCe smiled adoringly at Melissa, "How about we recreate that kiss? How about we recreate all of last night?"  
  
Melissa gazed into the smaller woman's cerulean orbs, giggling as the CeCe wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck. CeCe kissed her passionately, in a breathtaking manner, indicating to Melissa that the breakfast tray would remain ignored for a few hours.

* * *

“This movie is horrible.”

CeCe Drake was the only person who had ever enjoyed the experience of watching old films with Melissa Hastings. The raven-haired woman would comment on every inconsistent detail, and she always had an over-analytical opinion on the moral message of a story. CeCe found Melissa’s perspective to be delightful, laughing at the brunette’s sarcastic remarks.

Sprawled out on the couch in the Hastings barnhouse, Melissa and CeCe laid against each other, a mess of limbs under a blanket. The brunette’s laptop computer was placed on top of the center table, facing the girls, and playing a cinematic classic, _Romeo and Juliet_. Melissa’s hand was buried deep in the blonde’s hair, massaging her girlfriend’s scalp. CeCe’s head was tucked under the taller woman’s chin, cuddling against Melissa’s chest.

“It’s romantic. Romeo and Juliet are the perfect couple.” CeCe smiled.

“Perfect? They both commit suicide.” Melissa groaned, "It's dreadfully tragic."

“That’s cute. You’re big on happy endings.” CeCe giggled at Melissa’s secret idealistic side.

“I am.” Melissa stated proudly, unaware of the inner debate that had begun in the blonde’s mind.

When the movie ended, Melissa stretched out to close the laptop computer's screen. She stifled a yawn. Assuming that CeCe was asleep, she pulled the blanket over herself and the smaller girl.

“How do you think that our story is going to end?” CeCe whispered softly, indicating that she was still wide awake.

It took Melissa a few seconds to respond, the serious tone of CeCe’s voice had caught her by surprise.

“I promise that we’ll have a happy ending.” Melissa muttered, pressing her lips against the blonde’s head, placing a tender kiss.

Something about CeCe’s question had perturbed the brunette. Melissa's eyes glistened with tears, and she stared at the ceiling for most of the night, stroking the slumbering girl’s golden curls absentmindedly. Melissa vowed to keep her promise, she would give CeCe a happy ending, overcoming the obstacles that would try to interfere.

* * *

Working at a retail store was exhausting. To be honest, it was more stressful than going to college. CeCe just couldn't stand how demanding some customers were.

CeCe needed the money though, and working at the Rosewood Mall, was a pretty decent source of income.  
  
However, since a special order of merchandise had just arrived, it was going to be an especially intense workday. Everyone was swarming the shop as if they had never seen a dress before.  
  
CeCe was letting the other clerks cater to the clients today, she was just too overwhelmed by her own problems to deal with people. She had decided to just sit behind the register and check-out whoever was actually ready to make a purchase.  
  
Truth be told, the newly arrived shipment of evening gowns was top-notch. CeCe hadn't set a dress aside for herself because it would be a complete waste of money; she could never find an occasion to wear it.  
  
It wasn't as if Melissa could take her out on a formal date; if someone spotted them it would be an issue. Honestly, Alison and the girls had a nasty habit of meddling in matters that didn't pertain to them.  
  
CeCe was so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed that a familiar dark-haired woman was approaching the store counter.  
  
"Someone is a pretty lousy employee."  
  
Melissa smiled as she stood in front of CeCe, holding an exquisite white evening gown.  
  
"That's a nice choice. A bit expensive though." CeCe grinned, "Are you trying to impress someone special?"  
  
"Oh no, this is not for me. White has never been a color that I can pull off." Melissa smirked as she handed CeCe her credit card.  
  
"Perhaps it's for your sister?" CeCe tilted her head, she was actually confused.  
  
"It's for my girlfriend. She looks like an angel, so I deemed this dress appropriate." Melissa stated casually, "I'm taking her out to a charity gala tonight, and I wanted us to coordinate. I'm going to be wearing black."  
  
"Mel, we can't be seen together, and-"  
  
"It's an annual masquerade event in Philadelphia. You have to wear a mask." Melissa whispered slyly, "Take this dress, and pick me up at six. I made reservations for us at a hotel so you don’t have to drive back."  
  
"At a hotel? That's presumptuous of you." CeCe murmured softly, "I love you, Melissa Hastings."  
  
"I love you, random clerk." Melissa winked playfully as she walked out of the store.  
  
With a laugh, CeCe shook her head incredulously. For the rest of the day, the blonde wouldn't be able to wipe off the grin that Melissa had place there. 

* * *

CeCe Drake was incredibly nervous. She had never gone on a fancy date. She was afraid that she might embarrass Melissa Hastings, she knew her girlfriend was so experienced at these sort of affairs.  
  
The blonde had tried to look her best. The gown that Melissa had bought her was beautiful. It was an ivory white, with a bedazzled belt around the waistline. She had left her hair loose, she knew that her girlfriend enjoyed gazing at her golden locks.  
  
Instead of a mask, CeCe had opted for wearing face paint around her eyes, with silver glitter that highlighted her cerulean irises. She had accessorized with a pair of dangling earrings that were shaped like stars. She was trying hard to imitate the air of elegance that Melissa always had when dressing herself.  
  
The smaller girl was pacing around the front porch before she mustered up the courage to ring the Hastings household’s doorbell. She fidgeted with the strap of her purse until the door opened.  
  
"Wow, you look gorgeous!" Melissa beamed as she hugged her girlfriend tightly.  
  
"Melissa, you look breathtakingly beautiful." CeCe gushed.  
  
CeCe was awestruck. Melissa had chosen to wear a black sleeveless dress, adorned with raven, blue-tip feathers. She had styled her hair in a flawless bun, and her face was partially covered with a matching mask. Melissa Hastings looked as prestigious as ever.  
  
"Thank you, baby. Are you ready?" Melissa asked.  
  
"Yes." CeCe gave Melissa a quick peck on the cheek, "But are you sure that no one is going to see us?"  
  
"Spencer is at some college party with Alison." Melissa stated as she hooked arms with CeCe, “Everyone, including my parents, think that I am still dating Ian, so I doubt that anyone will ask me about my evening plans. Also, I’m wearing a mask, so no one can recognize me.”

“That mask only covers your eyes, it’s hardly a foolproof disguise.” CeCe lifted an eyebrow playfully

“You’re only wearing glitter on your face!” Melissa grinned, "I'm dressed as the Black Swan, it's iconic."

“Well, _Ms. Iconic_ , I brought a matching white cloak. It's in the car, and it has a hood. I'll be incognito.” CeCe teasingly said as she rested her head on Melissa's shoulder.

Melissa giggled as the blonde led her out of the Hastings estate. The brunette smiled, feeling like she was on top of the world with CeCe Drake by her side.

* * *

Ian Thomas was a delusional man. He had assumed that Melissa would come crawling back to him, that their rupture was only temporary.

As Melissa received her coffee order from the barista, Ian smugly approached the dark-haired woman. He wore a devilish grin on his face; he thought that he had given Melissa enough time to cool off.

"Hey, Melissa." Ian called out to the brunette girl, "Two coffees? Mind if I take one?"

Melissa rolled her eyes. She knew that CeCe was waiting for her outside.

"Yes, I mind." Melissa stated coldly, "Please, get out of my way. I'm meeting someone."

"Someone special?" Ian sounded jealous.

"Yes." Melissa responded curtly as she walked out of the coffee shop.

Ian was such an idiot; he kept thinking that Melissa would reconcile with him. The dark-haired woman wanted to tell him that she had found someone new, a person who made her heart soar.

However, the brunette had promised CeCe that they wouldn't make their relationship public until the time was “right”. Melissa knew that CeCe was hiding something from her but she chose to drop the subject for now. It wasn’t as if Veronica and Peter would ever approve of Melissa dating CeCe Drake, a former mental patient. Her parents demanded a certain standard of perfection, and from their perspective, the blue-eyed girl was not an ideal suitor.

The Hastings family doesn't accept anything less than a perfect image. When Veronica's doctor found cancerous cysts in breasts, she kept is a secret, considering that developing a disease was a shameful secret. Melissa’s bisexuality would cause too much of a scandal, so she never engaged in anything more than a fleeting romance with another girl. CeCe was the exception to all her rules. Melissa would fight all the forces in the universe if it meant keeping CeCe by her side.

"Here you go, Ce. One Americano, straight." Melissa smiled as she spotted CeCe standing by the door, "Well, the coffee at least."

"D-Do you still have f-feelings for Ian?" CeCe blurted out as she accepted her coffee.

"What? No, I don't think that I ever had any real feelings for him." Melissa stated firmly, "I love you, CeCe."  
  
“It’s okay, if you d-do.” CeCe’s voice faltered, “I’ll understand. He’s very handsome, smart, everything that your family would approve of.”  
  
“I don’t want handsome,” Melissa declared sincerely, “I want breathtakingly beautiful.”

"I guess that I'm just insecure; you deserve someone normal, like Ian Thomas." CeCe lowered her head dejectedly, "I love you, Mel. I don't want you to feel ashamed. Rosewood isn’t a nice place, it’s full of narrow-minded people."

"Well, then why don’t we move somewhere? Transfer to another college?" Melissa reached out with her free hand, gently lifting CeCe's chin, "California? Spain? London? Anywhere that you want. Name the destination."

"No, not yet. I-I'm sorry, my family is complicated, I need more time-"

"Calm down, Ce. I'd never force you to do anything." Melissa leaned in and placed a brief kiss on CeCe's cheek, "Friends kiss each other, all the time, right?"

"Right." CeCe sighed contently, "Thank you, Mel. You're so patient with me."

"Well, I want you to trust me with anything. I’m always here for you." Melissa smiled at CeCe as she hooked arms with the blonde girl, "Now, you  _must_ tell me about how you got Eric Kahn arrested during a game of _Truth or Dare_.” 

* * *

It was among the last days of summer vacation, Labor Day was next week, and classes would resume shortly. The weather was wonderful; the skies were clear and the sun was shining brightly.   
  
Taking advantage of the ideal climate, Alison had managed to arrange some sort of gathering at Torch Lake with Spencer and her friends, wanting to enjoy the gorgeous day outside.  
  
Since Veronica and Peter were busy with some important case, the Hastings estate was empty, except for Melissa who was helping around the house, doing laundry and others chores that Spencer was neglecting. Instead of initiating an argument with the younger brunette, Melissa opted with finishing the girl's assigned tasks on her own.  
  
As Melissa organized some books on a shelf in the library room, she heard the front door being unlocked. The dark-haired woman smiled to herself, she recognized the unexpected visitor's scent.   
  
"You should purchase better locks." CeCe announced as she crept up from behind and placed a soft kiss on Melissa's neck.  
  
"I knew it was you." Melissa turned to face the blonde, wrapping her arms around CeCe's waist.  
  
"How?" CeCe was perplexed, "It could have been anyone, I was super stealthy."  
  
"You smell like coconut and vanilla, and that fragrance, it has this effect on me." Melissa's voice was laced with affection, "Your scent makes me feel happy."  
  
"Y-Yeah?" CeCe's confident demeanor faltered for a brief moment.  
  
Melissa found herself grinning like an idiot before she leaned in, pressing her lips against the smaller girl's mouth, trying to convey as much love and acceptance as she could into one kiss. CeCe responded eagerly, running her fingers through Melissa's raven curls.  
  
After a few minutes, both girls sprang apart, their biological need for oxygen slightly outweighed their desire for one another.  
  
"Wow." CeCe stated breathlessly, "You sure know how to make a girl feel less insecure."  
  
"You know, my parents aren't home, and Spencer is sleeping over at Alison's house. How about we spend the day swimming at the luxurious Hastings pool?" Melissa purred in CeCe's ear.  
  
With downcast eyes, CeCe slowly pulled back from the brunette. There was something about Melissa's plan that hadn't settled well with the golden-haired girl.  
  
"I don't know how to swim." CeCe whispered, her voice so low that Melissa had barely heard the confession.  
  
"What? But we went to Cape May-"  
  
"I never actually went in the water." CeCe laughed bitterly, "I never learned how to swim."  
  
"But you learned how to drive?" Melissa inquired.  
  
"From books." CeCe replied simply.  
  
"You learned how to drive from a book?" Melissa was incredulous, "Are you Hermione Granger?"  
  
"Hush, you." CeCe giggled, "But yes, I learned to drive from reading manuals and books. I tried to do the same thing with swimming, but it's different." The blonde's explanation was accompanied with animated hand gestures, "The theoretical concept just isn't applicable to the real mechanics of swimming."  
  
"You are so overwhelmingly cute." Melissa was amused by her girlfriend's intellectual ramblings. It was incredibly adorable.  
  
CeCe lowered her head, guilt began gnawing away at her conscience. The blonde felt ashamed that there was so much about herself that Melissa didn't know, countless details about her life that must remain a secret. CeCe Drake was just another one of her disguises, a charade that Melissa had fallen in love with.

"I can teach you." Melissa offered eagerly, erroneously interpreting CeCe's silence for embarrassment.  
  
"Mel, that's a lot of work and-"  
  
"Nonsense! I get to gaze upon your body in a bathing suit, hold you if you start to sink." Melissa stated, "Oh, and I get to administer CPR if you start to drown. I'm honestly hoping you're so bad at swimming that we have to spend the whole day in the pool."  
  
Her lips began curving upwards, tentatively forming a smile. Melissa Hastings never ceased to surprise her.  
  
"You're too much, Melissa Hastings."   
  
Gazing into the brunette's sincere auburn irises, CeCe wasn't sure that she could ever repay Melissa for her unconditional affection.

* * *

"You're doing it!" 

Melissa exclaimed as she watched her girlfriend paddle to the deep end of the pool. CeCe pivoted around and swam back to the brunette. In nothing but a few hours, the golden-haired woman had not only learned how to swim, but she had managed to become as graceful as a swan in the water.  
  
Wearing a white bikini, CeCe maneuvered through the pool with precise movements, alternating between strokes. Her curls glimmered in the sunlight, and when she splashed after emerging from the water, CeCe looked as magnificent as a mermaid.  
  
The dark-haired woman cheered, wading in the shallow poolside as CeCe approached her. The blonde threw her arms around Melissa's neck, hugging her tightly.  
  
"I had a great teacher." CeCe felt Melissa returned the embrace enthusiastically.  
  
"You're just too impressive." Melissa buried her face in CeCe's wet locks, inhaling her girlfriend's sweet scent.  
  
"Melissa..." CeCe's voice was full of gratitude.   
  
Melissa placed a hand on CeCe's cheek and began to gently caress the blue-eyed girl's face. She understood why this meant so much to CeCe. The Drake family was never a subject that the blonde was willing to discuss. CeCe would always avoid all of Melissa's questions when it came to her past.   
  
The brunette respected her girlfriend's wishes, and she avoided asking about the Radley Sanitarium, or CeCe's past as "Charlie." Melissa could tell that CeCe's parents were either negligent, prejudice, or an awful combination of the two. It was counterproductive to upset CeCe with inquiries, Melissa was content with accepting whatever her girlfriend wanted to share.  
  
"I love you, CeCe." Melissa mumbled as she trailed her lips across the side of CeCe's face, nibbling on her earlobe.  
  
CeCe rested her head on the taller woman's chest, stroking Melissa's tone stomach with her fingertips. She placed a gentle kiss on the brunette's collarbone.  
  
Melissa lifted CeCe's body up, grabbing onto the smaller girl's hips. The blonde was forced to straddle her legs around the dark-haired woman's waist. She wrapped her arms around Melissa's neck, allowing the brunette to keep them both steady.  
  
The raven-haired woman kissed CeCe passionately, as the blonde intertwined her hands into Melissa's black curls. The brunette slipped her tongue into CeCe’s mouth, pulling her girlfriend closer.  
  
CeCe responded hungrily, and their tongues engage in a brutal fight for dominance. The brunette suddenly pulled back slowly and lowered the smaller girl down, her stamina reaching its limit.  
  
"Sorry, my arms got tired." Melissa chuckled softly.  
  
"Are you calling me fat?" CeCe teased.  
  
"No, I'm just a weakling." Melissa pouted.  
  
"Nice save." CeCe giggled.  
  
Melissa laughed as she scooped up CeCe and carried her out of the pool, holding the blonde in a bridal-style position as she headed toward the sunbathing chairs. A part of Melissa suspected that CeCe was insecure. Her whole life, she had been judged for her appearance.  
  
Melissa loved every aspect of her girlfriend. Her curvaceous body, her glossy hair, and her stunning smile. The magnetic blonde was witty, smart, resourceful, funny, and so incredibly enchanting, a complete package. CeCe Drake utterly captivating.  
  
With CeCe firmly secured against her chest, the dark-haired woman laid herself down on a sunbathing chair. The blonde snuggled into her girlfriend's side, draping an arm around Melissa's stomach. She began tracing the outline of the brunette's abdominal section with her finger.  
  
"You're so in shape." CeCe grinned as she nuzzled against Melissa's shoulder.  
  
"I need to be, my girlfriend is too effortlessly beautiful." Melissa replied, "I have to make sure that she won't dump me for someone better."

CeCe smiled to herself. Melissa always knew what to say. Even when they were children, Melissa had the perfect response to counter all the blonde's jokes.  
  
"Trust me, there is no one better than Melissa Hastings." CeCe rested her head on top of Melissa's chest, "Thank you for teaching me how to swim."  
  
"Thank you for wearing that bathing suit top." Melissa purred as she ran her fingers through her girlfriend's golden hair.  
  
"Your obsession with my boobs is worrisome." CeCe teased.  
  
"You're mean." Melissa lowered her hand to caress the smaller girl's back, "But you're mine."  
  
"Sounds possessive, and-"  
  
"And I'm yours." Melissa interjected quickly.  
  
"Perfect answer." CeCe giggled.  
  
After a while, CeCe dozed off in her girlfriend's arms. The dark-haired woman grinned. If the reward for giving the blonde some swimming lessons was half-naked cuddling, Melissa would have to think of more new things to teach CeCe Drake.


	5. A Girl Goes Missing

Chapter 5

A Girl Goes Missing

* * *

 

It had been an uneventful Friday afternoon. Melissa was processing some legal documents. Interning at a law firm would look good on her resume, but it was an excruciatingly dull experience. Knowing that Melissa needed a break from alphabetizing divorce papers, CeCe had asked her out on a movie date. The lakes around Rosewood would usually get too crowded on Labor Day weekend, but the mall and the film theater were more deserted.

Melissa had contemplated looking up what cinematic classics were currently playing, but she realized that CeCe probably wouldn't let her pay attention to the screen anyways. Melissa smiled to herself as she finished applying her mascara. She placed a generous amount of butterscotch lip-gloss on her mouth, knowing that CeCe would appreciate the flavor.  
  
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. The sound resonated through the empty house.

"Coming!"

Melissa yelled to herself more than anything, it wasn't as if CeCe could hear her from the second floor. She walked down the stairs and calmly opened the front door. Before she could react, CeCe crashed into her arms.

CeCe was wearing a sleeveless top with ruffles, the color of the fabric was memorable, a bright yellow that bothered Melissa’s eyes. Judging from the black stains on the shorter girl’s cheeks, it appeared that CeCe was getting ready for their date when something had disturbed her.

"Ce, what's wrong?" Melissa was startled, but she held the blonde tightly against her.

"Ian. I don't know how he found out, or how he recorded that. But he did, and you must help me, Mel." CeCe wasn't being coherent. She buried her face in Melissa's neck.

"Okay, so what did he record? Us?" Melissa was perplexed.  
  
The brunette hadn't told her parents about CeCe, mainly because she didn't know how to explain to them who CeCe was and because she wasn’t ready to deal with their reaction. However, she refused to be blackmailed by Ian. Melissa Hastings was in love with CeCe Drake, and she wouldn't deny it.

"Yes." CeCe was terrified, "I'm not exactly free from the Radley Sanitarium. I mean, I'm allowed to leave but it's c-complicated. I ran into Eric Kahn, and he gloated about seeing a recording of me with you. He said that Jason had filmed us when we were in my car last week, and how Ian loved the video. The idiot even archived it as “Melissa” amongst his files because he is still in love with you. Our relationship is one huge joke for those pigs.”

“I'm sorry, but I did say that your car wasn’t the best place for us to-”

“Listen, Jason and Ian think that we were just drunk. It’s not a big deal to them. But if my family or any of the staff at the mental institute see it, I’ll get in trouble.” CeCe sighed, "I lied to Eric, denied it, but I don't know what is actually on that recording. Even the best lie loses against video proof."  
  
“Oh, and that’s bad?” Melissa was trying process everything that CeCe was saying.  
  
“Yes, it is. I mean, if those videos fall into the wrong hands, I wouldn't be allowed outside again.” CeCe explained, “Alison messaged me, she seems to be with Ian at the Hilton Head resort in South Carolina. As the most responsible member of the N.A.T. Club, he has the only copies of the videos on his laptop computer."

“Wait, so you live at the Radley Sanitarium?” Melissa inquired, “But sometimes you stay over at my place, so how does that arrangement work? You even have a job at Rosewood Mall, and you go to college?”

“Melissa, it’s j-just not easy to explain.” CeCe’s eyes were glimmering with tears.

Melissa hadn't been aware of this. She assumed CeCe had been released from the Radley Sanitarium when she had turned eighteen, and that she was now living somewhere on her own. The raven-haired woman never questioned why CeCe always opted to spend time at the Hastings estate, that Melissa didn’t even know where the smaller girl lived. It never occurred to Melissa that CeCe was still a patient, or that she could be suffering from an actual mental illness. While the brunette's brain contemplated her options, her heart automatically voiced a decision.

"You don’t have to explain. I'll get the videos. You'll be okay, CeCe.” Melissa grabbed her purse from where it hung on the coat hanger.

Melissa needed to compose herself, for CeCe's sake. With one hand, she reached out and cupped the blonde’s face, her thumb brushing against CeCe’s cheek.

"Drive me to the airport. I'll be back Monday. It'll be okay. Luckily, Ian Thomas can't resist my charms." Melissa tried to remain playful as she led CeCe outside, but she wasn't sure what her plan even was.

"Melissa, I didn't mean-"

"Look, I can fix this. I'm sure it's easier for me to get the videos back than it is for you to convince Alison to retrieve them for you. She’s not a decent person, if she finds them, you will be in a worse situation." Melissa spat out resentfully.

Truth be told, Melissa hated Alison. The young girl had always been trying to steal Ian away from her, something that Melissa resented out of principle more than anything. She couldn't fathom returning to Ian. She couldn't imagine settling for second best when she finally had CeCe Drake.

CeCe just nodded. She would usually try to defend Alison, but she was too caught up in her own despair. She trailed behind Melissa. The brunette had reached CeCe’s car and wasted no time in boarding the familiar vehicle. CeCe trusted her girlfriend; there was truly nothing that Melissa Hastings couldn’t handle.

* * *

Pride was the imminent downfall of most people. It drove them to do absurd things that they otherwise wouldn't do. Hubris led individuals toward a path of self-destruction, which often ended in tragedy.

Melissa Hastings was no exception to the concept.  
  
For the past few weeks, Melissa had been so engrossed in her relationship with CeCe that she had forgotten about the rest of the world. She ignored the fact that demons always lurked in the corners of Rosewood, dedicated to ruining happiness.

As it turns out, Melissa could sway Ian with only a few kisses and a fake declaration of devotion. He sincerely thought that the raven-haired woman wanted to rekindle their relationship. Ian wasn’t even aware that Melissa knew about the videos, so the brunette simply needed to search through his data until she found the right one, deleting a single file would never raise suspicion. It was a good, clean plan.

However, Alison had to complicate the situation. Slippery and treacherous like a steep cliff, Melissa knew the younger blonde was impossible to trust. There was nothing genuine about her. For some reason, Alison just enjoyed toying with other people's emotions.  
  
Out of all the men that Alison could be flirting with, it was insulting that she had set her sights on Ian. From all the people who were dying to be her best friend, it was outrageous that she had chosen Spencer. The brunette was unbearably tired of Alison’s self-destructive behavior, and she would be damned if she allowed the little harpy to drag down someone who Melissa loved alongside one of her signature schemes.  
  
There was also this odd sensation that Melissa just couldn't dispel, the feeling that something horrible was about to happen. Her heart was racing, hammering under her chest. Melissa ran a hand through her hair. She couldn't believe Alison had stolen the videos from Ian and had run off back to Rosewood. Ian, president of the N.A.T. Club, had left the sneaky vixen in the room alone with his laptop computer.

“How the hell did she manage to steal the videos from you?” Melissa crossed her arms in annoyance as she addressed Ian.  
  
"Spare me the lecture, Melissa." Ian smirked, "You're no saint. There's a pretty juicy video of you and Jason’s girlfriend, one of the best in our collection."  
  
"W-What? I didn't-" Melissa stuttered nervously, "It was just a kiss and-"   
  
"Didn't look like that from what I saw, and I'm your parents won't be too happy with you if they saw the recording." Ian stated darkly, "Look, we need to get those videos back, or we're all going to be getting blackmailed by Alison."  
  
"Okay." Melissa agreed as she headed toward the door, "We need to get those videos back, call anyone who might want them back as much as we do."

Consequently, the brunette was forced to travel back to town without Ian. The young man had not been able to find a seat on the earlier flight that Melissa had already booked a ticket for. It bought the dark-haired woman a little bit of time. Melissa had to find Alison before she discovered the video files that compromised CeCe, or before Ian realized that she was unapologetically using him.

Casual messages from Spencer revealed that Alison had found some way of getting back to Rosewood before both Melissa and Ian. The raven-haired woman wasn't even surprised; Melissa was just disappointed that she wasn't as resourceful as Alison. It was already nighttime when Melissa arrived at the Hastings household. She agreed to meet CeCe at the DiLaurentis estate, near the back entrance.

After four hours of waiting, CeCe hadn’t shown up. The blonde wasn't responding to Melissa’s messages. Listening to the personalized recording of CeCe’s voicemail was becoming irritating.

As Ian pulled up to the DiLaurentis house, Melissa continued to message CeCe. Unexpectedly, Garret Reynolds and his visually-impaired girlfriend, Jenna Marshall, arrived a few seconds after the brown-haired man, eager to join the witch-hunt.

Melissa had little interest in figuring out what their deal was. Spencer had once mentioned that there was an ongoing feud between Alison and the blind girl.

It seemed like the stolen videos posed a threat to the couple as well. Jenna and Garrett were unwilling to disclose any details on what had been recorded, but the green-eyed girl claimed that Toby Cavanaugh, her stepbrother who had allegedly caused an accident that had damaged her eyes, wouldn't be pleased with Alison’s intentions.

"Where is she?" Ian bellowed to Garrett as he hopped out of his car.

"I don't know, wasn't she with you?" Garrett was always more defiant toward Ian when he was around Jenna. If the circumstances were different, Melissa might have even found it endearing that he stood up to Ian for Jenna's sake.

As Ian, Garrett, and Jenna started bickering amongst themselves, Melissa was still waiting for CeCe to call her.

"I’m going to check if Spencer knows where Alison is, I'll be right back." Melissa didn’t wait for a reply as she headed toward her own house.

Melissa stood outside the Hastings manor. She watched from afar as Ian and his crew of perverts argued loudly. She pulled out her mobile phone and wandered around the yard. After a few ringtones, she finally heard CeCe’s voice.

"Mel, I-" CeCe began before Melissa cut her off.

"Where are you CeCe?" Melissa was upset.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I've been sort of caught up in something." CeCe sounded strange but Melissa was too irritated to care. She was trying to fix CeCe's mess, and her girlfriend appeared to be too preoccupied with something else.

"Alison stole the video files. You need to come over and convince her to hand them to you. She worships you; that means you have the best chance of getting them back." Melissa tried to calm herself down.

"Okay. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." CeCe promised before ending the call.

As Melissa looked up at the night sky, she hoped that CeCe had taken her seriously. A storm was brewing in the horizon, a tempest that threatened to change Melissa’s life forever.

* * *

There are moments that define us, instants where we are forced to demonstrate who we truly are. Life tends to test our wills, and sometimes people commit the most heinous acts in the name of love.

Ian had never been in love with Melissa. An utter failure as a boyfriend, he lacked the loyalty to be true to anyone but himself. A pathetic excuse as a friend, he had never been capable to protect Melissa from the dangers that he had involved her in. His attempt to sway Alison into returning the stolen videos was unsuccessful.  
  
Jenna had concocted her own plan under the assumption that Alison had probably hidden the videos in her bedroom. She sent Garrett to distract Jason with some alcohol and a bag of weed. As usual, the young man was already drunk and he had effectively fainted before finishing the sixth can of beer that Garrett had handed to him.  
  
As Ian, Jenna, and Garrett searched Alison’s bedroom, Melissa stepped out to get some fresh air. The devious blonde was nowhere to be found, which was troublesome. Chances are that the youngest DiLaurentis offspring was scheming something.  
  
Walking out into the night, the dark-haired woman began to feel a sense of anxiety. Lightning illuminated the skies as Melissa headed to her own house. Overhearing indistinguishable noises, the brunette stopped and hid behind the bushes, noticing two figures yelling at each other. The voices sounded familiar, and she recognized Spencer as the loudest speaker between the two.  
  
As flashes of light hindered her view, Melissa couldn’t see what was going on. A couple of minutes later, a loud thunder crash startled Melissa, and everything became eerily quiet.  
  
Deciding to step out from the shadows, the confused woman managed to see the residing silhouette of her little sister, dragging a shovel behind her. Spencer appeared to be in a sort of trance, probably induced by abusing her prescribed medication. Unfortunately, the younger brunette was prone to violent outbursts when she was confronted under the influence of her special brand of narcotics.

When Melissa re-entered the DiLaurentis house, Ian, Jenna, and Garrett were still arguing upstairs. Jason was sleeping on the couch when the dark-haired woman made her way through the living room.

"Where is she?" Melissa roared as she stormed into Alison's bedroom.

The blue-eyed man was recording them all in the blonde's sleeping chamber, forging a pact between the young girl's four persecutors.

Ian and Melissa began rummaging through all the closets. Jenna and Garrett exited the house, claiming that they were going to plant a note in Jason's pocket that would read "I know what you did." It would cause the young man to think that he was to blame for the mess that had been made in Alison's bedroom. Alcohol had a nasty effect on Jason, and he rarely remembered the things that he did under the influence.

"Find those videos, Ian." Melissa barked at the brown-haired man.

The brunette sauntered out of the DiLaurentis house, running a hand through her ebony curls. She crossed her arms, impatient and worried. It had been hours since Jenna and Garrett left them alone on their crusade.

Melissa pulled out her mobile phone, determined to call CeCe once more, hoping that her girlfriend would answer this time.

"Melissa, I'm in the middle of-"

"What do I have to do, call nine-one-one to get your attention?" Melissa interjected CeCe's statement.

"I'll be there soon." CeCe replied before ending the call.

Waiting around for CeCe had turned into a sport. She decided to look inside her family's barnhouse, relieved to see that Spencer was sleeping on an armchair. Melissa's eyes grew heavy with sleep as she marched across the Hastings backyard.

"Mel."

The raven-haired woman spun around to see CeCe Drake. She was sporting an outfit that Melissa wasn't accustomed to seeing the blonde in. The smaller girl was wearing baggy dark pants and an oversized black jacket. Her usually flawless hair was a mess; the golden curls had been reduced to strands of hay. CeCe’s face was pale, as if she had forgotten to put on any make-up.  
  
Melissa still thought that CeCe looked gorgeous.

"Ce, what's wrong?" Melissa rushed to CeCe and held her steady, resting one hand on the blue-eyed girl's waist, and the other cupping her cheek.

"Mel. I don't have a lot of time; I'm not sure what I'm going to do. My mother is probably going to call someone to take me back to the Radley Sanitarium. Mel, I'm sorry. I messed up. It's my fault. It is. I don't know what I'm going to do." CeCe looked so resigned to some unknown fate, as if she deserved whatever was going to happen to her.

"CeCe, is this about the videos? Baby, I can fix it. Just give me a few minutes. I'll find Ian, don't worry." Melissa promised, hoping that her words would comfort the blonde.

CeCe’s pupils were dilated, her eyes were redshot. She was hiding something, Melissa could tell.

"Of course you can." CeCe mumbled before she desperately pressed her own lips onto Melissa's receptive ones.  
  
The brunette was overwhelmed; CeCe was kissing her as if their lives depended on it. The shorter girl began pulling Melissa closer, wrapping her arms around the dark-haired woman’s neck. The message that CeCe was trying to convey scared Melissa, it almost seemed like this passionate kiss was the blonde’s swan song.

"Melissa!" Ian's voice startled both girls.

Melissa and CeCe sprang apart. The raven-haired girl wiped off her smeared lip-gloss and patted down her navy blue dress. She had to look presentable before playing the role of Ian’s devoted girlfriend.

"Wait here, I'll deal with him." Melissa gave CeCe a reassuring smile.

With a wistful sigh, CeCe closed her eyes, leaning in to peck Melissa's cheek.

"What was that for?" Melissa was slightly confused. Even though it had been such a chaste and tender kiss, it filled Melissa with a sense of dread.

"For everything,  _Melissa Hastings_." CeCe gave her a grin, and Melissa felt reassured enough to confront Ian.

Melissa strolled out from behind the trees, hoping that CeCe would stay in that spot, hidden from Ian's line of vision.

"Ian, did you find Ali?" Melissa put on her best performance.

"Yeah, she's keeping the videos. But we're okay. I think she won't do anything with them against us at least. She just wants you to stop sending her threats." Ian smiled sheepishly at Melissa. She rolled her eyes. He was so useless.

"Alright, let me see if I can talk to her. Where is she?" Melissa was trying to seem calm, but she needed to end this. Her girlfriend was counting on her.

"I think that she went back to your barnhouse?" Ian shrugged, "Want to go back to your room, and forget about Ali?"

"Ian, I really need to find Alison." Melissa tried not to gag, "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

After parting ways with Ian, Melissa looked behind the trees, but CeCe was nowhere in sight. It was long past midnight, so it was likely that her girlfriend had to return to the Radley Sanitarium. It was unclear why CeCe was allowed an inconsistent schedule when it came to her freedom.

Lurking around the DiLaurentis estate, searching for CeCe, the dark-haired woman's worst fears came true. In the middle of the backyard, Melissa stumbled across the limp body of a blonde, right on the ground where Jessica DiLaurentis had been paying a few handymen to build a needlessly expensive gazebo.  
  
A deep, bloody gash decorated the girl's head, her chest showed no movement, a clear indication that she wasn’t breathing. Although golden hair hid the blonde's face from sight, Melissa noticed that there was a name bracelet on her wrist, identifying her as Alison, Spencer’s best and worst friend.

It was the youngest DiLaurentis child, CeCe’s protégée. She was wearing the same yellow shirt that Melissa had seen CeCe with. Something sinister was going on.

"Oh god." Melissa whispered to herself.

Had CeCe hit her? Is this why the older blonde had been so nervous earlier? Or had Spencer’s argument with Alison ended in violence? Melissa began to panic; it was very likely that someone she loved had bashed Alison over the head with the shovel. Her little sister or her girlfriend would go to prison because of _Alison DiLaurentis_.   
  
Alison’s sins were bound to catch up with her, anyone could have killed her. A malignant bully, the young girl had harassed and tortured countless people, weaving a web of hateful rumors and harmful lies. It wasn't fair that Spencer’s life would be ruined for a crime that anyone could have committed if given the chance.  
  
When her parents had brought Spencer home for the first time, Melissa swore that she would always keep her younger sibling safe, and as she pushed Alison’s body into the hole that the gazebo's construction workers had probably made. The brunette was on autopilot; she mechanically grabbed the shovel and started placing dirt on Alison's corpse. She was in a trance; all she could think about was how CeCe or Spencer needed her to be strong.

Melissa continued to cover the body, the bright yellow top that Alison had been wearing would get closer to disappearing with each scoop of earth. Cement would be added to the area tomorrow, and Alison would just become another missing person. Since the blonde had so many enemies, if the body were ever uncovered, CeCe and Spencer wouldn’t be suspects; they were among Alison’s best friends.  
  
With her little sister’s safety ensured and her girlfriend’s future secured, Melissa dropped the shovel in the grass, and headed toward the Hastings house. Although the storm had dissipated, the dark-haired woman noticed that the ache in her heart hadn't lessened.  
  
As she locked herself in her bedroom, the brunette began to sob, tears running down her cheeks. There was no denying that the whole incident was horribly tragic, and even though Melissa didn't care about Alison, she knew that someone close to her did. Tomorrow, Melissa would find CeCe and she would tell her that everything had been fixed. Everything would be fine. The problem was solved. Melissa convinced herself that in the morning, she would be in CeCe’s loving arms, the only place that felt like home.

* * *

Melissa Hastings would never forget the morning after Alison’s death. CeCe was gone. Her mobile phone was disconnected.

The dark-haired woman called the admissions office at the University of Pennsylvania, to request some contact information. Not a single person had heard of CeCe Drake, and there were no records of her in the facility’s database. She wasn’t listed in the official enrollment roster.

Desperate for answers, Melissa drove to her local high school, equipped with a yearbook that listed “CeCe Drake” as Prom Queen. Everyone in the main office was dumfounded. CeCe Drake had never attended Rosewood High, and they weren’t sure why she was in the yearbook. The staff thought that it was a glitch that the supervisors of the Yearbook Committee had failed to detect, assuming that some student records from another high school had been mixed up in the computer system.

Melissa’s last resort was going straight to the source of her problems; the Radley Sanitarium.

The receptionist hadn’t batted an eye when Melissa asked for “CeCe Drake.” The gray-haired woman, a nurse named Lisa, claimed that the institute had never admitted a patient by that name. Thinking quickly on her feet, Melissa asked about “Charlie.” Lisa’s face paled, and she nervously made a call.  
  
“Yes, she came in asking for a boy named Charlie.” Lisa spoke to an unknown supervisor over the telephone, “First she asked about CeCe Drake. Yes. What’s your name, dear?”

 “Holly Varjak.” Melissa lied, hoping that Lisa was not an avid fan of _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_ , the film that had inspired the brunette’s alias.

After exchanging a few hushed words with her supervisor, Lisa hung up the telephone. Her expression was stoic as she addressed Melissa.

“I’m sorry, there is no one named Charlie here.” Lisa replied.

“You’re lying.” Melissa’s jaw was clenched tightly.

“Ms. Varjak, I’d like you to exit the building and-”

“CeCe!” Melissa yelled, interjecting Lisa’s request, “CeCe, I love you!”

Within seconds, the Radley Sanitarium’s security officer arrived. A large man, he grabbed Melissa by one of her arms, dragging her away from the front desk.

“CeCe, if you can hear me, I will always love you.” Melissa thrashed about, sobbing until the security officer released her outside.

The man forced Melissa to vacate the premises. It seemed that “Holly Varjak” was going to be permanently banned from entering the mental institute on the false allegation that she had been “disruptive.”

Melissa slumped on the sidewalk, crying uncontrollably. A sad excuse for a girl, broken and pathetic. She was lamenting a relationship that no one ever knew about, her heart had been shattered by a person who didn't seem to exist.

In less than a week, Melissa’s life had fallen apart.

To make matters even worse, Melissa’s parents had no idea why their eldest daughter was still lingering in Rosewood. Fall semester was about to start and she had always been on top of her academic career. Melissa kept putting off her responsibilities, making up excuses, drinking until she passed out, and lying about why she was doing all those aforementioned things.

When Veronica called the University of Pennsylvania and found out that Melissa hadn't registered for classes yet, all hell broke loose in the Hastings household. Her parents assumed that she was going through some form of depression after Ian had left her, but they had reached their limit. Regardless of her wounded heart, Melissa had to maintain her perfect grade point average.  
  
“Melissa, I don’t care if your relationship with Ian has ended.” Veronica declared harshly from across the dining table, “You need to register for classes. You have your whole future ahead of you.”  
  
“What your mother is trying to say is-“  
  
“That you need to accept that Ian did not love you enough to stay.” Veronica interrupted her husband’s statement.

Peter didn’t seem offended; he just nodded, agreeing with his wife.

Ian had unceremoniously ended their relationship. Melissa wasn’t going to admit that she had been using him and that their reconciliation was a fallacy. The dark-haired woman knew that she had never meant much to him, she was a convenience that Ian usually grew tired of. Oddly enough, the young man had secretly set his sights on Spencer. Melissa didn’t care; Ian could go on and marry her little sister, nothing really mattered anymore.

“You’re right.” Melissa relented.

The brunette wasn’t referring to her insignificant affair with Ian Thomas. She finally realized that CeCe hadn’t truly loved her. Melissa wanted go to back to the University of Pennsylvania. She needed to forget about CeCe Drake, Alison DiLaurentis, and this complex web of lies. Her family’s ambition took over. Melissa decided that she would focus on her studies, meet a respectable suitor, and make her parents proud.

After contemplating her situation, she had grown resentful toward CeCe. Had the golden-haired ever been sincere to her? It may have all been an elaborate scam. CeCe Drake’s existence seemed like a surreal dream now.

When Melissa had first met CeCe, the blonde had lied about being a “transfer student from the University of California.” It’s possible that the frivolous girl had tricked Melissa into believing that she was Charlie.

CeCe Drake was a mystery that Melissa didn’t want to investigate anymore. With hypnotic cerulean eyes, the beautiful woman might have been a gypsy who stole her heart, but Melissa Hastings needed to move on with her life.

In the same manner that she had forgotten about Charlie, the memory of CeCe Drake would eventually fade. It was a convincing lie that Melissa forced herself to believe, but never truly managed to accept.


	6. A Girl Settles For Less

Chapter 6

A Girl Settles For Less

* * *

 

Repressing traumatic events is a natural response; it is a common coping mechanism. Denial is necessary at times, to live with the things that you've done, with the ones that you didn't mean to do.  
  
When Alison was declared missing, either Spencer was a brilliant actress or she had no memory of what she had done. Her little sister’s reaction probably meant that CeCe Drake had been the real culprit, but Melissa didn’t want to dwell on it anymore. There's no bringing back the dead, and the brunette could only worry about the living from now on.  
  
For the past few months, Melissa was fully dedicated to finishing her bachelor's degree in finance. It kept her mind busy from everything that she had lost.   
  
Melissa began to question if she truly wanted a career in business. After all, CeCe Drake hadn't been worth the investment.  
  
Most nights, she studied alone at her loft in Philadelphia. Reviewing numbers and equations was becoming hard, and her thoughts often strayed away from academic material.

Instead of trying for new connections or interacting in a social setting, Melissa had downloaded an interesting chess application for her mobile phone. The program assigned her the username of MHast, and allowed her to have chess matches with other registered members. When she needed a break from reality, Melissa would connect to the network and challenge a random person, anonymously partaking in a chess game to distract her clouded mind.  
  
Out of nowhere, a user known as ELamb had approached her for a few games. They had partaken in a friendly rivalry, complete with witty banter via messages. ELamb was the only person who had ever beaten her at chess, and Melissa was greatly impressed by her mysterious nemesis.  
  
ELamb wasn't like the other users Melissa played with, he often asked the brunette how she was doing, and encouraged her to engage in more interpersonal activities. Most of the time ELamb was disconnected from the application's user network and it wasn't often that Melissa saw him available online to play with.  
  
From vague comments, ELamb implied that he was a medical worker at some facility, and that he had to turn off his mobile phone during long, hectic shifts. It was something that the brunette could relate to, since she often had rigorous schoolwork assigned to her.  
  
After a particularly rough day at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, Melissa decided to heed ELamb's advice. She headed out to a local bar near campus, hoping that drinking a few alcoholic beverages around actual people was better than being alone at her loft and consuming an entire bottle of wine.  
  
It only took one vodka soda for Melissa to grow bored and disinterested. The rustic establishment didn't have much to offer. Melissa was about to leave when a young man approached her.  
  
"Would you like another vodka soda?" A strong British accent made him distinguishable from ever other brown-haired man around the bar.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Melissa smiled charmingly, "Are you from England?"  
  
"What gave it away?" The young man grinned cheekily, "I'm from London, born and raised. My name is Wren. Wren Kingston. Soon to be, Dr. Wren Kingston, if I ever finish this bloody long career."

Wren, like the sparrow bird. Infamously depicted on the pendent of a necklace that Melissa refused to ever wear again.  
  
"Melissa. Melissa Hastings." Melissa giggled, "And I know what you mean. I started off studying for my bachelor degree in business administration, but I'm interested in earning my master degree. It's feels like a lifetime since I began."  
  
A few things stood out about the British man. Wren was planning on becoming a physician, he was an intellectual, and was exactly the type of person that Melissa imagined in her head when she wondered how ELamb might be like in real life. It was a creepy concept, but she needed to fantasize over something other than golden hair and sparkling eyes.  
  
"So why is a gorgeous girl such as yourself drinking alone?" Wren signaled the bartender by dropping cash on the table, "Is your boyfriend too busy to accompany you, Melissa?"  
  
"No, I don't have a boyfriend." Melissa replied sincerely.  
  
"Excellent." Wren winked.

The young man was flirtatious, reminding Melissa of the person that she needed to erase from her thoughts.  
  
"Thanks for the vodka soda, Dr. Kingston." Melissa fished out the slice of lime from her glass.  
  
"Was this beverage supposed to have a lime floating in it?" Wren playfully inquired about Melissa's drink.

Melissa chuckled as she bit into the lime piece, chewing the acidic fruit. Placing the remains of the slice on a napkin, the brunette felt compelled to explain her palate.  
  
"Yes, actually it's funny. I love incredibly sweet things, but I also enjoy extremely sour things." Melissa said, "Does that even make sense?"  
  
"Oh, yes it does." Wren nodded knowingly, "You like extremes, I respect that."  
  
The young doctor had a point, Melissa did enjoy completely opposite concepts, and she wasn't a fan of grey areas. It was part of reason that she enjoyed chess so much, the light and dark game pieces, artistically symbolizing the struggle between good and evil. There was nothing ambiguous about chess; there was always a winner and a loser.

Although Wren wasn't the type of man that Melissa usually found attractive, he had managed to make her laugh, something that no one had been capable of doing in a long time. Melissa sighed, suppressing the memory of CeCe Drake was nearly impossible to do, especially whenever she recalled the last time that she had felt happy.

* * *

After dating Wren Kingston for a few months, the exuberant man had romantically proposed to her. Melissa gladly accepted. Although she didn’t really love the Wren, she was looking forward to the prestige and the economical comfort that came with being a doctor’s wife. Her parents were thrilled, insisting that Melissa should spend a few months in Rosewood with her new fiancée.

A couple of days after Melissa’s return to Rosewood, the body of Alison DiLaurentis had been found under the gazebo. Construction workers had stumbled across the corpse. The DiLaurentis family had sold their estate, and the new owners decided to redesign the yard. Melissa had always thought that the gazebo was truly hideous.  
  
It was nerve-wracking to realize that the police would soon begin to investigate what had happened to Alison, but it was exhausting to witness that Spencer didn't know what Melissa had done for her.  
  
The truth of the matter was simple; Spencer was still a child, a spoiled little girl. Melissa should have known that she choosing to stay in the Hastings barnhouse with Wren would be considered an act of war.

Spencer wouldn't comprehend that Melissa just wanted to be close to her family. The only thing Spencer cared about was that she had renovated the barnhouse for herself, so she had to retaliate against Melissa.  
  
In her naivety, Melissa allowed Spencer to blatantly flirt with Wren, assuming that her fiancée and her beloved sibling would never cross boundaries. Melissa’s trust in the people that she loved was always proven to be misplaced.

Spencer’s bedroom door was ajar, and Melissa knew that something was wrong. The dark-haired woman witnessed how Wren was kissing her sister. Her heart sank, and she rushed outside, to the barnhouse that Spencer coveted so strongly.  
  
After throwing all of Wren’s possessions in a cardboard container, Melissa waited for the young man to return, sitting on her old couch in the barnhouse's newly constructed foyer room.  
  
"Melissa?" Wren inquired softly, "Why is all my stuff in a box?"  
  
"Just leave, Wren." Melissa stated firmly, "I saw you with Spencer."  
  
"Wait, look-"  
  
"My engagement ring is among your things." Melissa gestured at the cardboard container.  
  
"I'm so sorry." Wren pleaded, "Let me explain, please-"  
  
"Leave!" Melissa interjected Wren’s apology, "Please, just get out of my sight."  
  
As Wren exited the barnhouse, he placed the jewelry box on the center table in the foyer room. The young man decided to leave the diamond ring with Melissa in an effort to prove that their relationship had meant something to him.  
  
Disinterested in Wren’s hollow gesture, Melissa grabbed the expense trinket, planning to store it inside her luggage bag.

As she opened her suitcase, the brunette caught a glimpse of a familiar leopard-printed scarf, tucked away among her other belongings. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her cheeks, and Melissa’s entire body shook with uncontrollable sobs. She wasn’t crying for Wren Kingston, he could never break her heart, not when the fragile organ still belonged to CeCe Drake.

* * *

An explosive confrontation between Melissa and Spencer was to be expected, and it didn't help that the younger brunette was more defensive than apologetic. Veronica and Peter were undoubtedly disgusted in Wren, but Spencer’s role in the end of Melissa’s engagement to the British man was disappointing.

"Look, I get it! You're upset and I feel for you, but don't dump it all on me. Maybe you should be asking yourself why Wren felt the need to..."

Spencer’s words trailed off, but the message echoed in Melissa's head.

It was true. Melissa had never been affectionate toward Wren, not in the way that a girlfriend should be. He was just her best friend, someone that she could depend on. 

After dispelling the tension between her two daughters, Veronica attempted to comfort Melissa. The older woman returned the wedding dress, cancelled the catering service. The rent deposit on the ballroom was lost, but Veronica managed to stop the wedding invitations from being printed. Peter encouraged Melissa to take a short break from her studies, hoping that the dark-haired girl would recuperate from her disillusion in love.

Melissa began to feel a bit better, she had always loved to play tennis, it was the only thing that she could do at the country club when she was young and her father would bring her along to charm clients. Golf and drinking scotch were the two most popular activities conducted at the establishment, and neither seemed appropriate for a little girl to engage in.  
  
Swinging a racket was therapeutic, but she would also have to remember that tennis was the only thing that she had in common with Wren. That's what hurt the most; Melissa had lost a valuable companion.  
  
It took a few weeks for everything to return to relative normality, which often meant that Spencer and Melissa were still not speaking. Veronica still pushed on forward, trying to repair the fractured relationship between her daughters, forcing them to share meals together. Peter invited Melissa to play a match of tennis at the country club with him and Spencer, to celebrate an award that the younger brunette had won.  
  
“An award for what?” Melissa inquired as she sat on the couch in the barnhouse, absentmindedly browsing through a fashion magazine.

“She wrote an essay for her Russian History class and it won the Golden Orchid award.” Peter gushed, “Here, I have a copy of it.”

As she accepted the document from her father, Melissa only needed to skim through the first sentences to know that the assignment had been plagiarized. Melissa wrote an essay for the same Russian History class when she was in high school, and Spencer had blatantly turned in the document as her own. This was the second act of thievery that the younger girl had committed against her.

It was clear. Spencer would never love Melissa, not in the altruistic way that the dark-haired woman cared for her little sister. There would always be an unspoken conflict between them. 

The ball was in Melissa’s court, so she wore an impressive evening gown and styled her hair as if she were a lioness. The brunette crashed Spencer’s Homecoming dance, reducing herself down to the level of a petty teenager. Melissa spent the whole event throwing passive-aggressive comments at her little sister’s new boyfriend, Alex Santiago. She felt that Spencer should lose something this time, that it shouldn’t only be Melissa who suffered from an aching pain in her chest.

By the end of the night, Melissa was utterly drunk, having consumed absurd amounts of spiked punch. She should have called a taxi cab, but she didn’t really care about her own safety. The raven-haired woman drove her black Mercedes-Benz sedan beyond the speed limit, running all the red lights that she encountered until she arrived at the Hastings household. The worst part wasn’t that Melissa could have died from her self-destructive behavior, but that she didn’t feel lucky to be alive.

* * *

If CeCe Drake was the ghost that haunted Melissa, then Ian Thomas was the demon who would never allow the brunette woman to be free.

Her insufferable former boyfriend had returned to Rosewood and his first order of business was to bombard Melissa with messages. She successfully avoided him for two weeks, but he showed up unannounced to the Hastings household one morning, asking her to join him for a coffee. Melissa refused, but when Spencer asked her to give him a chance, the raven-haired woman couldn’t help but concede. She would do anything if it meant repairing her relationship with the younger girl.

Although he often acted like an imbecile, Ian was a shrewd man. He wanted to discuss the events that preceded Alison’s death, hoping that he and Melissa could agree on an alibi. The brown-haired man claimed that his feelings for Melissa had never dissipated, declaring that he wanted to keep her safe.

Melissa knew that the Rosewood police department was being pressured by the DiLaurentis family to find Alison’s murderer. Ian suspected that Spencer had been the one who killed Alison, confessing that he had flirted with Melissa’s younger sibling during that same summer that the blonde girl disappeared. Nervous that the intuitive man would testify against Spencer if he was cornered, Melissa decided to seduce him, to keep Ian wrapped around her finger.

After drinking a few glasses of Peter’s whiskey, Melissa was able to withstand having sexual intercourse with her husband. It had never been a meaningful experience, but sleeping with Ian was easier back when she didn't know how CeCe's touch felt like on the most intimate parts of her body.

Melissa didn’t have the energy to hate herself anymore. Spencer walked in on them, upset that one of her best friends, Hanna Marin, had been hit by a car. The vehicle’s driver had sped off, a typical occurrence, but Spencer and her friends seemed to be tormented by something else.

Terrified that the investigation to Alison’s murder would lead to her family, Melissa proposed to Ian. Married couples couldn’t testify against each other, and the dark-haired woman was unable to trust her former lover without a legal document binding them together. With Wren’s diamond ring on her finger, Melissa called Steven Kahn, Eric’s father, and a judge. The man officiated the wedding. In a couple of minutes, without a hint of romanticism, Ian and Melissa became husband and wife.

There was no elaborate wedding cake, not a single festivity. Melissa wore one of her simple white evening gowns. Ian was suited in the same tuxedo that he had worn on prom night. When Spencer and her friend, Aria Montgomery, entered the Hastings household, the recently married couple offered them some champagne, and that served as their only form of celebration.

Melissa convinced Ian that they couldn’t afford to go on a honeymoon. The couple had to stay in Rosewood and keep an eye on Alison’s murder investigation. Ian Thomas had been hired as an athletic coach at Rosewood High. The blue-eyed man was content for a while, but he often noticed that Melissa was distant. Spencer only made the volatile situation worse, constantly implying that she had evidence that implicated Ian as the person responsible for Alison’s death.

Unable to stomach the idea of sleeping with Ian Thomas on a regular basis, Melissa decided to buy an ovulation kit, persuading the young man that they should only have sexual relations when the brunette was more likely to get pregnant. The excuse worked for a while. Melissa confided in Spencer, hoping that her sister would stop accusing Ian of murdering Alison if she knew that the dark-haired woman’s husband was interested in becoming a father.

In an ironic twist, Melissa was enamored with the idea of being a mother. Children were required to care for you, and the brunette desperately wanted someone to love her unconditionally. Deciding to sleep with Ian for the sake of procreating was a tough decision, but Melissa had an innate ability to lose herself in a fantasy. The blue-eyed man had never been much of a performer when it came to sexual intercourse, and the dark-haired girl slipped out of their bed after the deed had been done.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and Melissa wondered if she would ever be able to sleep with someone without crying after being abandoned by CeCe Drake. Through her cloudy vision, Melissa lied to herself, repeating the mantra that all her suffering was worth the compensation. Marrying Ian was the only strategy that would keep Spencer safe, and having a baby was a way of making her marriage to the man bearable.

Within a couple of days, Melissa found out that she was pregnant. Spencer was unimpressed. The younger girl kept provoking Ian, claiming that the cunning man had killed Alison in order to keep his relationship with the underage blonde a secret.

Spencer and her friends declared that they had found a trophy with Ian's name on it, an award given to him at the Hilton Head resort for winning a golf competition. The young girls told the police that Ian had used his own keepsake to bash Alison’s head. However, the blood on the trophy wasn't human, it belonged to a rodent.

It was clear that Spencer was trying to frame the blue-eyed man. Melissa found it harder and harder to keep her husband under control. Ian wanted to denounce Spencer, and he was growing tired of the precocious brunette’s baseless allegations.

Arguments between Melissa and Spencer were becoming a frequent occurrence, but neither girl was willing to drop the subject. Alison’s murder investigation had turned into the center of their universe. Spencer was unrelenting, and she was oblivious to the fact that Melissa was only trying to shield her from harm.

Melissa spent a week at her loft in Philadelphia, conversing with acquaintances from college, redecorating one of her rooms, turning the chamber into a nursery. The brunette persuaded Ian to stay in Rosewood, which had chaotic results. Ian was a chaperon at some school dance event. Spencer and her friends had allegedly cornered him, accusing him of murder in the middle of the ballroom.

“You need to control her!” Ian bellowed, his voice resonating through the church walls, “Do you know what other inmates do to men who sleep with teenagers? Do you? I rather die than go to prison.”

“I already lied for you. I said that you weren’t with Alison at the Hilton Head resort, that you were with me, accompanying me to get an abortion. I claimed that I had a miscarriage.” Melissa stated calmly, “Just relax, please.”

“Garrett became a police officer, and you know that he is only going to protect Jenna Marshall.” Ian gritted his teeth, “We have to protect each other.”

“And Spencer.” Melissa ordered, "We have to protect Spencer too."

“Fine.” Ian growled.  
  
Ian paced around the pews, clenching his fists. His contempt for Spencer was evident, but he knew that Melissa would never turn on the younger brunette. Ever since he returned to Rosewood, Ian had been trying to create a wedge between the two sisters. If Spencer was condemned for Alison’s murder, the police department would stop investigating blonde’s life, and his secret relationship with the underage girl would remain a secret.  
  
"What do you think about Taylor?" Melissa tried to change the subject, "As a name for our child?"  
  
"Shouldn't we wait until we learn the gender of the baby?" Ian was uninterested in the conversation.  
  
"Well, that's why I picked a unisex name." Melissa explained, trying to maintain her composure, "A parent never truly knows if their child is a male or a female. Our baby might identify as a gender that doesn't match their anatomy."  
  
"You mean a faggot?" Ian snickered.  
  
There is a ping of excruciating pain inside Melissa's chest, the realization that CeCe Drake's life had been full of idiots that were hateful like Ian Thomas.  
  
"You need to leave. Pick me up at six." Melissa stated coldly.  
  
"Wait a minute. I left work early. We are supposed to be planning this christening together and-"  
  
"No." The dark-haired woman took a step closer to Ian, her voice was low, "I want to do this alone."  
  
"Fine." Ian replied, "I have more important things to do."  
  
Scoffing at Melissa, the despicable man stomped out of the chapel, assuming that his wife was just hormonal. The brunette sighed, running a hand through her raven curls. Unbeknownst to Melissa, this would be the last time that Ian Thomas bothered her.

* * *

"The car came out of nowhere."

Her little sister's statement echoed through the hospital room. Veronica Hastings embraced her youngest daughter in an attempt at alleviating Spencer's guilt.  
  
Melissa and her little sister had been in an accident, an unidentifiable automobile had rammed into Spencer's suburban utility vehicle. Stranded at the church, Ian had never returned to give her a ride home, forcing Melissa to ask her younger sibling for a lift back to the Hastings estate.  
  
As dark-haired woman laid on the gurney, she overheard Veronica and Spencer discussing how Ian wasn't answering their calls. The doctors were monitoring her unborn child, unsure if there would be complications with the pregnancy. It was all too difficult to deal with.   
  
Drifting in and out of consciousness, Melissa longed to escape her life, desperately wishing that she was married to a person who cared enough to be by her side. Exhaustion began to overpower her. Melissa was lulled to sleep by the memory of someone who used to caress her hair softly, recalling the smell of coconut. Melissa couldn't prevent a smile from appearing on her face as she got lost in a beautiful dream.


	7. A Girl Is Tormented

Chapter 7

A Girl Is Tormented

* * *

 

Melissa Hastings had always wanted to leave Rosewood. The town was a corrupt place, where murders can remain unsolved, and crimes can be concealed by bribing officials. Most of its residents are entangled in an intricate web of lies that often lead back to the same people.

Ever since the disappearance of Alison DiLaurentis, people kept playing games with her. Melissa thought that Spencer was the source of all her misfortune. The brunette girl craved attention. Although her older sister was recuperating at the hospital, Spencer had managed to become the center of attention.

It was all over the news tabloids, plastered on the front page of every bulletin report. Spencer Hastings claimed that Ian Thomas had attacked her at the church. According to the young brunette and her friends, the altercation had resulted in the blue-eyed man’s death. He had allegedly fallen down the bell tower, hanging himself on the ropes. The only problem with the story was that there was no corpse. Ian was nowhere to be found.

The Rosewood police department assigned the case to Officer Garrett Reynolds, unaware that the young man was only interested in helping Jenna Marshall stay out of prison. The conniving couple was attempting to cover their tracks, to avoid being connected to Alison DiLaurentis on the night that she was murdered.

When Officer Reynolds appeared at the Hastings household to return Melissa’s missing mobile phone, she started lashing out angrily at Spencer. The brunette woman was so tired of all the needless deception. Spencer was over-complicating everything. Melissa knew that Ian would never let her go, he was too complacent with using his wife as a doormat. If the brown-haired man had disappeared it meant that he was scheming something.

Melissa wanted to believe Spencer’s story, but the moment that she received a message from Ian’s mobile phone, she knew that her sister was still fabricating lies. Ian was hiding somewhere, and he promised to contact her when it was safe. Waiting around like a sitting duck was out of the question for Melissa. She needed to find Ian before he found her.

Appearing at the clinic to see her obstetrician in the early hours of the morning, Melissa was a bundle of nerves. The dark-haired woman breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Wren Kingston flirting with the cute receptionist at the front desk. The British man may have been an unfaithful fiancée, but Melissa could use a sympathetic friend.

"M-Melissa?" Wren stuttered as he spotted Melissa in the lobby, "Are you okay?"

"Is it so painfully obvious that I’m not fine?” Melissa gave Wren a watery smile.

“You’re wearing your leopard-print scarf.” Wren muttered softly, “You only put that on when you’re feeling pensive about something.”

Looking down on her neck, Melissa noticed the familiar fabric with alternating gold and black blotches. It was pathetic, the fact that the scarf was one of her most treasured possessions. Her eyes glistened with tears.

Before she knew it, the brunette was sobbing against Wren’s chest. The young doctor wrapped his arms around Melissa, whispering comforting words in her ear. For a moment, the dark-haired woman forgot Alison’s murder investigation, Spencer’s problematic behavior, and Ian’s looming presence. The only thing on Melissa’s mind was the harrowing thought that her leopard-print scarf was the sole proof that CeCe Drake had ever existed.

* * *

Melissa suspects that Ian sought out Jason DiLaurentis for help, one of his only friends. The bronze-haired man had repurchased his childhood home, much to the chagrin of Peter Hastings. Melissa had never figured out why her father hated the DiLaurentis family.

Reflecting on a particular incident, Melissa remembered how much the older man had yelled at her one night. He had seen the dark-haired girl kissing Jason after the young man had driven her to the Hastings estate. CeCe Drake wasn’t a part of Melissa’s life yet, and the memory of Charlie had been haunting her ever since she was a little girl. Jason’s light hair reminded the brunette of Charlie, but his emerald irises paled in comparison to Charlie’s cerulean eyes.

Preferring blue over green was a poor reason to date Ian instead of Jason, but her father had forbidden a relationship between her and the eldest DiLaurentis child. There was a feud between both households, a Shakespearean story with a unforeseeable tragic end.

Refusing to tackle the ancient mystery behind Peter’s hatred for the DiLaurentis family, Melissa focused on the matter at hand. Lurking behind the trees, hidden by the pouring rain that was falling from the sky, the dark-haired woman had seen a figure lurking by the windows of the DiLaurentis manor. Stealing letters from Jason’s mailbox, Melissa pretended that the correspondence had been accidentally arriving at the Hastings estate, hoping that he would invite her in. With a knowing grin, Jason had kept their interaction brief and Melissa had failed to enter his house.

Ian’s messages were usually sporadic and short, as if he didn’t want to give in any details about where he was. Almost a week after his disappearance, Ian asked her to meet him at an abandoned shed near the outskirts of town. He needed her to bring painkillers, his passport, and luggage bag. The young man planned to leave the country, and he wanted Melissa to accompany him.  
  
Spencer was clearly frightened of something, cornering Melissa in the Hastings kitchen one night. The older brunette had misplaced her engagement ring and was rummaging through the cabinets, seeking the expensive trinket. Her little sister crept up behind Melissa. Murmuring softly, Spencer voiced an unprecedented request.  
  
"Maybe you should sleep in here tonight, instead of the barn." Spencer asked, making no effort to assist Melissa in her search.  
  
"Maybe." Melissa responded.  
  
Opening and closing drawers, Melissa ignored her sibling's unwarranted presence. She didn't have time to allow Spencer to pull her emotional heartstrings.  
  
"It's just that I don't like being by myself, and I don't sleep well when I'm alone." Spencer elaborated, "Melissa? You get why I'm scared, right? Somebody broke in here last week, and I know about stuff that I wish that I didn't."  
  
"What are you trying to say?" Melissa turned around to face Spencer.  
  
"I guess I'm just hoping that if it came down to it, that you would protect me, over someone who's not me." Spencer murmured, eyes adverting Melissa's face.  
  
A silence engulfed the room, neither young woman was able to look at each other. Spencer was filled with shame, while Melissa was trying to maintain her composure. Everything the older brunette had ever done was for Spencer.  
  
"Do remember Kendra Santoni, that bully that made me her punching bag in elementary school? Remember the day that I came home with that red mark on my neck and I was afraid to tell mom that Kendra smacked me with a jump-rope? Then the next day on the playground, you cornered her and you said that if she ever touched me again, you'd make her eat that jump-rope. I knew that you had my back." Spencer sniffled, "Remember? You don't remember pushing her up against a wall?"  
  
With a sigh, Melissa shook her head, pretending not to recall one of the most defining moments of her life. Kendra Santoni brought back memories of her trip to the Radley Sanitarium.  
  
"No, I don't, and honestly, I'm kind of dealing with major stuff right now." Melissa lied through gritted teeth, "My husband has been missing for nearly a week. I'm not looking to stroll down memory lane."  
  
Melissa could already feel the ghost of her first kiss upon her lips. She resented Spencer for bringing back such a livid reminder of CeCe Drake.  
  
"Don't make me choose between you and my husband, Spencer." Melissa spat.  
  
A cruel, but hollow remark, laced in hypocrisy. Melissa chose Spencer over everyone else a long time ago. She had to get rid of Ian; he was a danger to her little sister. She would try to take advantage of his misplaced trust in her.

If the only way to get the vicious man out of Spencer’s life was to condemn herself to a loveless marriage, then so be it. Melissa was resigned to making the sacrifice, packing her things and throwing them into her black sedan. Wren had provided her with most of the medication that Ian requested. Her fate was sealed. She was optimistic that Ian might become a better person once he left Rosewood, it was the only hope that she could cling on to.

When Melissa showed up at Wren's doorstep, she was in desperate need of help. The raven-haired girl needed someone to rely on; she wanted to confide in her best friend. The British man had called her earlier, demanding to go with her when she went to meet with Ian, claiming that he desired to inspect the fugitive man’s wounds.

"Melissa? You’re here early." Wren stuttered as he opened the door, "Are you okay? Do you need more drugs?"

"No, it’s not that. Ian wants me to leave town with him." Melissa let herself in, walking right into Wren’s apartment, “I came to say goodbye.”

"And that's a bad thing?" Wren was confused.

"No, he’s a danger to Spencer." Melissa confessed, “I should leave with him.”

“Melissa…” Wren’s voice trailed off, and Melissa could tell that the British man was keeping a secret from her.

“Spencer is the reason why you demanded me to take you to Ian, right?” Melissa scowled.

“She’s worried about you!” Wren exclaimed, "Every time that we've talked, you’ve seemed madly in love with him and she’s scared that you are being used."

"I am trying to protect Spencer." Melissa sat down on Wren's couch, "I do have some feelings for Ian, but marrying him, leaving the country with him, it’s all to keep her safe. I came to apologize for using the engagement ring that you gave me to marry Ian. I wanted to return it to you, but I haven't been able to find it."

"Oh god, Melissa." Wren sat next to Melissa, throwing a comforting arm around her shoulders, “None of that matter now.”

"I buried Alison's body." Melissa confessed impulsively, "I thought that Spencer had killed her, so I just buried the body in the construction site behind the DiLaurentis house."

"S-Spencer killed Alison DiLaurentis?" Wren was shocked.

"Back in those days, Spencer would do drugs to stay awake and study more. The night that Alison died, I saw her walking in the backyard, dragging a shovel." Melissa explained, "At the time, I thought it was either Spencer who killed her or... Ian."

"Ian?" Wren was bewildered, “You’re really protecting Ian? I always thought that you were in love with someone else but that man is-”

“Yes, I love Ian.” Melissa lied, “It’s a crummy situation, but leaving Rosewood with Ian is the only way to stop him from provoking Spencer.”

“Are you going to say goodbye to Spencer?” Wren whispered.

“No, it would be too hard. She also thinks that I’m being coerced. If I tell her about this, she will probably call the police.” Melissa sighed, “I just…”

“What is it?” Wren encouraged Melissa to continue her statement by giving her a gentle squeeze.

"I just wanted to thank you.” Melissa’s voice softened as she leaned into his embrace, "For everything."

“You’re welcome.” Wren replied sincerely.

As the brunette sat on the couch with Wren, resting her head against the young doctor’s chest, her eyes began to roam around the apartment. A poster hung on the British man’s wall that read “Love Thy Neighbor.” As Melissa stared at the letters, memorizing the phrase, the dark-haired girl couldn’t remember when her life had turned into such a Shakespearean tragedy.

* * *

Her scream pierced through the silence of the night.

The sight of her husband's lifeless body was too much to process; Melissa reclined against Wren, with the young doctor supporting most of her weight. Tears streaming down her cheeks, the brunette was an inconsolable mess.  
  
Ian Thomas wasn't a perfect man. He had never been a loyal lover or an attentive friend. His arrogance was smoldering, and the dark-haired man had dared to force Melissa into taking his last name when they wedded.  
  
As Melissa stared at his decaying corpse, none of those awful things mattered anymore. Ian had been dead for over a week, wearing the same outfit that he had on the evening before her car accident, the night that he had assaulted Spencer.  
  
A poorly fabricated suicide note laid next to him, inscribed in a penmanship that Melissa failed to recognize. Someone else had been messaging her, another person impersonating as Ian. The thought a mysterious entity tormenting her was alarming. The brunette's lungs felt constricted, her sobbing became more and more erratic.

“Melissa!”  
  
Footsteps approached from behind. Melissa turned around to find herself face to face with Spencer. The younger girl welcomed her with open arms. Although the concept was selfish, Melissa was relishing Spencer's embrace, content with being comforted by her beloved sibling.  
  
Clinging on the fabric of Spencer's shirt with one hand, the raven-haired woman collapsed against her sister's chest. Mumbling sweet sentiments in her ear, Spencer refused to let go of Melissa, determined to hold her until the paramedics arrived.

In the background, Melissa overheard Wren speaking to a few people; their female voices identified them as Spencer’s friends. Melissa didn’t bother to look at them, nuzzling into the crook of the younger brunette’s neck.

It was bittersweet, but as her sister’s hands made soothing circles around her back, Melissa felt as if Ian’s death had ended the conflict between her and Spencer, relieving a burden that had weighed on the dark-haired woman’s mind for so long.

* * *

Tragedies always arrive in sets of threes. Ian’s death, Spencer’s betrayal, and her miscarriage, Melissa had earned a complete collection of misfortune.

The forensic examiners had concluded that Ian shot himself a week ago. He had committed suicide because he couldn't live with the guilt of killing Alison DiLaurentis, as stated in his letter. Melissa knew his handwriting; Ian had not authored the note resting next to his rotting corpse.

Veronica and Peter Hastings were reluctant to give Ian Thomas a funeral. The young man's aunt had disowned him. She didn’t want to give a formal burial to a pervert who had murdered a young girl. Spencer had played the role of a magnificent sister, begging her parents to grant Melissa's husband a final act of compassion. Touched by Spencer’s request, Veronica and Peter agreed to give Ian a simple memorial service.  
  
Her family had interpreted that Melissa's current catatonic state was a result of Ian's untimely suicide, but the brunette was worried that someone was playing a dangerous game with her. It was likely that whoever had been sending messages to Melissa, pretending to be Ian, was the culprit behind the fake suicide confession. Garrett Reynolds, Jenna Marshall, and Jason DiLaurentis, all were among the people who may have murdered Alison, or at least wanted the investigation to end.

The troublesome aspect was that if Ian had been murdered, the assailant had made the incident look like a suicide. A deadly person was lurking in the shadows, conspiring against Melissa. During Ian’s funeral, the dark-haired woman was lost in her worrisome thoughts, numb to everything around her. She quietly observed how Spencer interacted with her friends, noticed how Garrett Reynolds was snooping around for information, and stole glances at Jason DiLaurentis who had loitered outside of the burial ceremony. Everyone was a suspect.

The only person who Melissa though that she could depend on was Spencer. Her little sister had been a blessing throughout this whole ordeal. With Ian dead, Melissa contemplated whether she should tell Spencer the truth about Alison’s death. Someone had hit the blonde before the dark-haired woman had buried her. If Melissa and Spencer shared the details that they knew about the night that Alison was attacked, it was possible that the two girls could decipher who was conspiring against all of them. The only sliver of hope that Melissa was holding on to was that the obstetrician had revealed the gender of her baby, Taylor was a girl.

With renewed faith in her little sister, Melissa apologized for choosing Ian over her. She beckoned the younger brunette girl to sit beside her on the couch, the Hastings fireplace flickered quietly, the light of its flamed illuminated their faces. Gazing into Spencer’s brown eyes tenderly, Melissa was about to confess her darkest secret.

“Let me get this out while I have the courage.” Melissa began, “There's something that you don't know, and-"

A familiar ringtone interrupted Melissa’s statement. The raven-haired woman recognized the tune. Shock was plastered on Spencer’s face as she pulled out Ian’s mobile phone from her purse.

“Why do you have Ian's phone?” Melissa felt as if she had been slapped in the face.

“I don't know.” Spencer sounded nervous.

 “Wait a minute. You?” Melissa gritted her teeth, the realization that Spencer had been the one tormenting her was sickening, “Y-You sent me those texts?”

“What? No!” Spencer responded.

“I know he's been dead over a week! I know he didn't send me those messages!” Melissa roared, pain was throbbing through her abdomen.

“No, Melissa, I didn't!” Spencer cowered in the face of Melissa’s wrath.

“You pretended to be Ian?” Melissa was nauseated, the idea that her little sister would be capable of such cruelty.

“No, I didn't!” Spencer shook her head in denial.

“How could you do that to me?” Melissa stood up, reaching out for Ian’s mobile phone.

“I swear to you, I didn't!” Spencer sounded sincere, but Melissa knew that she would never be able to trust her sibling again.

“You must really hate me!” Melissa threw the device against a wall, the impact shattering the mobile phone into pieces, “I will never forgive you for this!”

Seething with rage, Melissa exited the Hastings foyer room, unable to look at her sister anymore. She had been fooled by the younger brunette. Her heart pounded against her chest as she retreated to her bedroom. She felt hot, sweat running down her cheeks, mixing with the tears that were streaming from her eyes.

The stomach cramps that had developed during her argument with Spencer were now unbearable. A stinging discomfort had turned into an ache that she couldn’t comprehend. Melissa rushed to the bathroom, reaching the sink when she saw the blood. She knew what had happened, the pamphlets at her obstetrician’s clinic had been informative.

Melissa dropped on the floor, choking on her sobs. She needed a minute to mourn the death of her unborn child before disposing of the remains. With her clouded vision, the dark-haired woman cleaned the floor, erasing any trace of the tragic event that had occurred. It took her an hour, between the crying and the scrubbing, but Melissa had wiped every corner of the bathroom until it shined.

Reporters would love the story, a karmic incident, the widow of a murderer had aborted his twisted seed. That’s how the public would view the death of her child, as a blessing. Taylor would have been the daughter of a despicable man; she didn’t deserve to life. Melissa refused to accept that narrative. It wasn’t fair. A person is not responsible for the sins of their parents.

In the morning, Melissa would act as if she was still pregnant. No one would know that she suffered from a miscarriage until the news made for an irrelevant headliner. Melissa was determined to keep the idea of Taylor alive. She slipped into her bed, curling against the silky sheets, tossing and turning.

No matter how tired she was, Melissa couldn’t fall asleep. A migraine pulsated in her skull. She searched through her nightstand, aware that only the item that she had stored away in her bedroom drawer could help get some rest. Retrieving her teddy bear, the brunette woman cradled the plushie in her arms. A calming warmth spread across her chest as her mind drifted to a different time, the only way that Melissa could cope with losing Spencer and Taylor on the same night.

* * *

The heart is fragile organ. There's only so much suffering that it can withstand.

A few days after Ian's entombment, Melissa began to experience troubling symptoms. She had spent a week at a hotel resort with Veronica; the older woman always thought that a vacation, or an afternoon at a spa, could cure anything. A twinge in Melissa's chest disagreed with Veronica's hypothesis.  
  
Plagued with dizziness and shortness of breath, Melissa fainted during a lunch date with her parents. Unaware that their eldest daughter had lost her baby, Veronica and Peter took the brunette to a specialist in Philadelphia. In a private meeting, the doctor informed Melissa that she wasn't pregnant like her parents had informed him.   
  
The gray-haired man was discreet about the whole ordeal, and respected Melissa's desire to keep her miscarriage a secret. She wasn't an underage child, the clinical staff wasn't allowed to disclose the raven-haired woman's medical information without her permission.  
  
The doctor concluded that Melissa had all the signs of an arrhythmia issue, an irregular heartbeat produced by a rare condition known as apical ballooning syndrome. The affliction created a temporary disruption of your heart's normal pumping function in one area of the heart. The remainder of the heart functions normally or with even more forceful contractions. It is caused by the heart's reaction to a surge of stress hormones. The condition usually reverses itself in days or weeks.  
  
Her parents were relieved, offering to cater to Melissa's every need. The brunette just wanted to be left alone at her loft in Philadelphia, away from the malignant aura of Rosewood. Honoring her wishes, Peter and Veronica refrained from suffocating Melissa, returning home to attend to Spencer's needs. It appeared that the younger girl was still meddling with Alison's murder investigation.  
  
Alone in her apartment, Melissa poured her most expensive wine into a large glass, free from her pregnancy charade. She took a long sip of the alcoholic nectar, laughing bitterly to herself.  
  
The apical ballooning condition was also known as "broken heart syndrome." Melissa's memories of CeCe Drake, her disenchantment with love, might literally lead to her premature death.

* * *

Deception includes several types of communications or omissions that serve to distort the complete truth. Pretending to be pregnant is simple, especially when Melissa had become a master in the art of lying to herself and to the people around her.  
  
All her acquaintances had wanted to gather together and throw her a baby shower. Her loft had to serve as an adequate setting, since the dark-haired girl refused to return to the Hastings estate.   
  
Melissa went through the motions, smiling and nodding every time she opened a gift meant for a child that was no longer alive. It was easy to feign interest in the presents for the baby, numb and hollow had become Melissa's default setting.   
  
Long after the guests had cleared out, the despondent woman heard someone knocking. It was unexpected to say the least, to see Spencer Hastings fidgeting in front of her when she opened the apartment door.  
  
"Spencer..."   
  
Melissa wasn't sure how to form a complete sentence. She hadn't spoken to her sister since Ian's funeral. It had been mind-boggling, the idea that Spencer may have been responsible for Ian's suicide, that the younger girl had been using her husband's mobile phone to impersonate him.  
  
"Melissa, I'm so sorry. I knew that I needed to give you some time to calm down, but I swear to you, I wasn't pretending to be Ian." Spencer still proclaimed her innocence, "I don't know who placed his phone in my purse."  
  
Her sister continued to denial her involvement in Ian's death. Melissa was hesitant to truth the girl, but Spencer's friends had also been present when her husband's corpse was discovered. Hanna Marin, Aria Montgomery, and Emily Fields,  it was possible that one of them was orchestrating an elusive game of cat-and-mouse.  
  
"Okay." Melissa replied softy, "Do you want to come in?"  
  
In spite of her distrust, it warmed Melissa's heart to see Spencer's mouth twist upward into a wide grin. Her little sister's face lit up as she entered the older girl's loft.  
  
"I got you something." Spencer wouldn't dare visit Melissa empty-handed, presenting her sister with a gift bag, "It's a set of baby monitors. My friend, Caleb Rivers, he's a genius when it comes to technology. He assured me that these were the best that money could buy."  
  
"Thank you." Melissa smiled, forgetting for a moment that Taylor was never going to need any of these presents.  
  
Graciously accepting the gift, Melissa led Spencer to her foyer room, signaling with her hands for the younger brunette to sit on the couch. She placed the baby monitors next to the other presents that were never going to be used.  
  
"Do you want some coffee or tea?" Melissa offered tentatively.  
  
"Coffee, please!" Spencer nodded eagerly.  
  
"Of course." Melissa giggled as she disappeared from the room.  
  
Caffeine was a Hastings family tradition. Strongly brewed, with lots of sugar.  Intense enough to single-handedly induce insomnia. Melissa returned from her kitchen with two mugs, sitting herself next to Spencer and giving the younger woman one of the hot beverages.  
  
"Oh, I have another gift." Spencer announced, "It's from Lizzy Farren, I think she was a girl from your class."  
  
Shuffling through her bag, the younger brunette produced a medium-sized box, placing it on Melissa's lap.  
  
"Yes, but we haven't spoken in ages." Melissa was confused, "I don't know how she found out that I was having a baby."  
  
"Everyone in Rosewood loves to gossip." Spencer muttered, taking a sip of her coffee.

Tearing through the wrapping paper, Melissa opened the box. In a plastic container for protection, a ivory swan figurine with golden flecks rested securely. The craftsmanship behind the stature was marvelous. A thought flashed across Melissa's mind, causing her to shake her head. Unwilling to let memories of summer days at the Hastings pool drown her in despair, the dark-haired woman placed the white sculpture on the floor.  
  
"So, how are things in Rosewood?" Melissa pivoted away from Lizzy Farren's strangely nostalgic gift, "I heard that you and your friends got community service for burying a mannequin."  
  
The younger brunette's irises sparkled as she ranted, going on long verbal tangents about the injustices that always occurred in Rosewood. It was awfully humorous to hear Spencer recollect her exploits. The brown-eyed girl spoke about her offical boyfriend, Toby Cavanaugh, how the young man was hardworking and compassionate. He was a year older than Spencer, graduating this year from high school. Toby sounded like a very charming individual, and Melissa fought with her own mind, ignoring the looming thoughts that trailed back to CeCe Drake.  
  
Melissa and Spencer talked for hours, discussing frivolous subjects and meaningless gossip. It was a pleasant experience. During that night, time froze and all of their concerns faded away. They were just two sisters, spending time together and enjoying each other's company.


	8. A Girl Perseveres

Chapter 8

A Girl Perseveres

* * *

 

A loud pounding on the door pulled Melissa away from her dreams. Sitting up on her bed, the brunette lifted her shirt, wrapping the fake belly strap around her waist. After she adjusted the device, she dragged her feet across the floor.   
  
It was too early. Melissa hated when she was forced to function without coffee. The groggy woman walked to the front of her apartment, leaning in to look through the peephole.   
  
Garrett Reynolds was revealed as the person disturbing her slumber.   
  
The young man appeared disheveled, his dark hair was messy and unruly. He was wearing civilian clothing.  
  
"Melissa, please open up." Garrett pleaded from the outside of the loft.  
  
Feeling pity for her former classmate, Melissa opened the door.  
  
"Melissa, I need t-to-"  
  
"What do you want, Garrett? It's five in the morning." Melissa rubbed her forehead with one hand, a migraine was developing inside her skull.  
  
"I n-needed to talk to someone." Garrett stuttered sheepishly, "But I think that you could use a friend too."  
  
Garrett Reynolds wasn't known for his perception, but Melissa had to admit that his assessment of the situation was accurate. She was alone, carrying the burden of secrets that didn't even belong to her.   
  
"Jenna left me." Garrett interrupted Melissa's thoughts, "Ian is dead. We could both use an ally."  
  
With a nod, the brunette ushered Garrett inside. He was right. If they both share the information that knew, maybe they could recreate what had happened to Alison DiLaurentis.  
  
Melissa sat him down on the couch in her foyer room, the perfect place to exchange anecdotes.  
  
Garrett wore his heart on his sleeve, an emotionally transparent person. Everything that he had done thus far had been for Jenna. The green-eyed girl had been Alison's most threatening rival, ever since she moved to Rosewood. Jenna's mother had married Chris Cavanaugh, a widower with a son, Toby.   
  
The dark-haired man recounted that the blonde and her friends had thrown a firecracker in the Cavanaugh garage on Independence Day, causing an explosion that had damaged Jenna's eyes. Toby took the blame for the incident because Alison knew that he was in a sexual relationship with his stepsister.  
  
Although Garrett claimed that Jenna had fallen in love with him after ending her secret affair with Toby, it was easy to read between the lines. Jenna didn't truly care for Garrett, she was just taking advantage of the young man's feelings for her.  
  
Alison found a video of Jenna and Toby among Ian's collection on Labor Day, and she decided to threaten the visually-impaired girl, telling her to never return to Rosewood, to stay in the disability school that she had been attending at Philadelphia. Garrett and Jenna were trying to get the N.A.T. Club videos back for the blind girl's sake.  
  
"Do you remember when we left?" Garrett asked Melissa, "You and Ian were still in Alison's bedroom."  
  
"Yes, I remember." Melissa encouraged him to continue, placing her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"We found Alison in her backyard. She lunged at Jenna, the scuffled a bit, but stepped in between. I grabbed a field hockey stick, and I rammed it against the tree besides Alison. I didn't touch her though. She was alive. I just let Jenna think that I had hurt her." Garrett confessed, "I took Jenna back to her blind school in Philadelphia. When I returned, I caught a glimpse of Byron Montgomery talking to Alison before I left for home."  
  
"Byron Montgomery? Aria Montgomery's father?" Melissa was bewildered.  
  
"Yes." Garrett sighed, "I became a police officer for Jenna's sake. I stole a page from the forensic report done on Alison's corpse, the part that discussed trace evidence, to protect her! She had fought Alison, I didn't want the police to connect her to the body."

Garrett was devastated, burying his face in his hands. He loved Jenna. If it weren't for the green-eyed vixen, Garrett would be free from this entire situation.  
  
"Who was that girl?" Although Garret's inquiry was vague, Melissa knew what he was referring to.  
  
"W-What girl?" Melissa tried to evade the question, but her voice trembled.  
  
"The one that I recorded you with. That's why you're in this mess, isn't it?" Garrett shook his head in shame, "I'm so sorry, for recording that, it was a private moment. The angle was focused on you and it didn't show the other girl's face.”

After all this time, Melissa discovered that CeCe had been worrying about a useless video. The recording couldn’t be used as proof against her. None of the staff at the Radley Sanitarium could accuse CeCe of abusing her out-patient privileges if they weren’t able to recognize her on the video. Eric Kahn’s comment had been a fluke, a playful jab between friends that accidentally spiraled out of control, events were set into motion that Labor Day weekend that had ruined so many lives.

“You could just see some of her golden hair and a part of her outfit. Eric Kahn claimed to have known her and-"  
  
"She was no one." Melissa lied, "I was drunk, having some fun."

CeCe Drake was everything. Her smile was bright enough to replace the sun and her eyes were as clear as the sky. The blonde’s hair resembled a field of daffodils on a perfect summer day, swaying in the cool breeze with the smell of coconut infecting the surrounding air. Melissa had studied the curves of CeCe’s body as if they were contours on a map; hidden roads and pathways that the brunette had spent countless nights exploring.  
  
"I figured." Garrett nodded, "I could tell that you were in love with Ian. Having his child on your own must be tough."  
  
"Y-Yeah, it is." Melissa smiled at Garrett.  
  
Faking a pregnancy, deceiving her family, lying to the police, burying the corpse of a girl, it had all been difficult for the raven-haired woman, tasks that chipped away a piece of her soul. Pretending not to love CeCe Drake was the hardest thing that Melissa Hastings had ever done.

* * *

Her sympathy for Garrett had its limits.  
  
The dark-haired man had been following Melissa around like a lost puppy for weeks. He insisted on accompanying the brunette to her appointments with the obstetrician.   
  
Wren had been kind enough to help her with the charade, pretending to take an ultrasound image of a false fetus, as Garrett waited in the clinic lobby.   
  
Melissa was flattered by the police officer's attentiveness, but she was growing bored of hearing about how Jenna Marshall had broken his heart.

Missing her own family, Melissa returned to Rosewood. She was surprised to find out that the Hastings household had become a war zone. Spencer had uncovered that Jason DiLaurentis was the son of Peter Hastings. Although her little sister was in shock, all the pieces suddenly clicked into place for Melissa.

Peter hated the neighbors because he had fathered a child with Jessica DiLaurentis. He didn’t want to be reminded of his biggest mistake every time that he glanced at the boy who lived in the house next door. The older man had almost experienced a cardiac arrest when he saw Melissa and Jason kissing, which was a logical reaction, considering that two half-siblings shouldn’t develop romantic feelings for one another.

“Why would mom go along with this?” Melissa exclaimed from the couch in Spencer’s room.

“It wasn't easy for her. She's angry too.” Spencer defended Veronica “She feels betrayed.”

“Don't protect her. She lied to us.” Melissa was upset that her mother had never confided in her.

Spencer sighed, seating herself next to Melissa.

“Mom's had to watch Jason every day since he was a little kid.” Spencer muttered, “I'm sure somewhere in her heart, she knew.”

“We should have known too. It's like we don't even know who mom and dad are anymore.” Melissa felt anguished, wondering what other secrets her parents might be keeping.

“Yeah, tell me about it. We have to rethink everything they've ever told us.” Spencer said, “I'm pretty sure Alison knew.”

“Really?” Melissa wanted Spencer to elaborate, “Why?”

“I don't know, just...” Spencer’s voice trailed off, “Little things she'd say.”

Shortly after Spencer’s revelation, the raven-haired woman excused herself from the younger girl’s room. She offered her little sister a few words of support and left. Melissa had a lot to process on her own. If Alison knew that Jason was Peter’s son, she might have been blackmailing the adulterous man. All the time that Melissa has spent thinking that Spencer hurt Alison when the reality was that Peter might be the true culprit.

Melissa decided that it was time to confide in Spencer, that both sisters would have to rely on one another to get through all of this. Unfortunately, Garrett was still shadowing her. He asked to meet, complaining that one of Spencer’s friends, Caleb Rivers, had acquired the video that Ian recorded of himself, Garrett, Jenna, and Melissa, standing in Alison’s bedroom on the night that she was murdered. Melissa tried to calm the young man, promising that she would control Spencer and her friends.

Spencer was not a fan of Garrett Reynolds, and she seemed outraged that Melissa was associating with the dark-haired man. Something about the police officer unnerved the younger brunette.

“I didn't want you to worry. I thought if you knew that I was talking to the police-”

“Why him?” Spencer interjected Melissa’s explanation.

“Garrett was Ian's friend, and he's been really kind to me since the funeral. He checks in on me, he takes me to the doctor when he can and I needed someone to talk to.” Melissa felt hurt.

“About what?” Spencer asked.

Melissa shared her suspicions about Peter. The dark-haired girl admitted that she had sent Alison a few threatening messages, warning the precocious blonde to leave Ian alone. Melissa confessed that her territorial behavior had earned Peter’s admiration. The older man hated Alison, and he had a secret that she might use against him; Jason’s true patronage.

To make matters worse, Peter was trying to earn Spencer's affections by purchasing expensive gifts. It was incredible. He still believed that he could use his money to shut people up.   
  
Peter had hired a private investigator to follow her. He thought Melissa might be responsible for Alison's disappearance. It was sickening. Her own father was accusing her of murder. Every member of the Hastings family was turning on each other.  
  
When the dark-haired man reported that his handgun was missing, Melissa truly got nervous. She needed Garrett's help to figure out who was playing games with them all. Someone was using everyone in town like puppets, turning them all against one another.  
  
"Dad's gun is missing. He thinks that somebody broke in." Spencer informed her older sister, "You didn't hear anybody, did you?"  
  
"No. I fell asleep watching a show in the barn." Melissa had been snooping around in her father's office, "Lights woke me up a few minutes ago."  
  
"I thought that the TV outside is broken." Spencer was observant.  
  
"I don't know, I was watching it on my laptop." Melissa stated with false conviction.  
  
It was an obvious lie, but Melissa didn't want her younger sister to interfere with her investigation. Peter Hastings had secrets that the dark-haired woman wanted to uncover for herself.  
  
"Listen, I got to go back into the city tonight. After everything we talked about; Jason, dad, the blackmail; I don't think I can stay here. I should get on the road." Melissa reached out for her sister's hand, "But, listen, Spencer, if things start getting even weirder around here, you can always come stay with me. I want you to know, I'll keep you safe, okay?"  
  
Melissa knew that if she managed to persuade Spencer into leaving Rosewood, both of them could forget about Alison's death and move forward with their lives. It wasn't healthy to live in a town where deception polluted the atmosphere.  
  
As Melissa exited the Hastings estate, she contemplated her options. Peter's handgun was missing and that meant someone was concocting a wicked scheme. If Melissa swayed Garrett to her side, she would have access to all the evidence that the police had obtained. If a mysterious entity was plotting against her, Melissa Hastings would not go down gently into the night.

* * *

"What were you doing in Alison's bedroom the night of her disappearance?"

Melissa had been sitting on a high-chair in the Hastings kitchen, distracting herself by writing letters of gratitude to everyone who had given the brunette woman a present for her baby shower. She was finishing her note for Lizzy Farren when Spencer had launched the question, an accusation disguised as an inquiry.  
  
"I thought we were beyond this." Melissa replied defensively.  
  
"I'm concerned. Mom and dad were, too. That's why they hired somebody-" Somehow Spencer had found out that a private investigator was contracted to follow Melissa, "Look, they suspected you. Of what? I just want to help you, Melissa, because if you did something-"  
  
"I didn't do anything." Melissa gritted her teeth, "I was in that house looking for Ian."  
  
It was an omission of the truth, but it was more or less honest. CeCe Drake was the only aspect of her life that she retracted, marking the blonde away with a black pen had created inconsistencies in all of her stories.  
  
"Okay, so why didn't you tell anybody that you saw Garrett and Jenna there?" Spencer asked.  
  
"Just because they wanted to see Ali dead doesn't mean they killed her." Melissa growled, "Half this town wanted that girl to disappear."  
  
"I don't think that I can hold on to this." Spencer shook her head, "I think that the police need to see it, and I don't mean Garrett."   
  
"I'd be careful, Spence. You turn that in, there are other videos out there that might surface." Melissa played her cards, "I've seen some stuff that makes you and your friends look pretty bad."   
  
"Like what?" Spencer was agitated, her brown eyes widening with fear.  
  
"I never asked questions about what I saw, but I'm guessing that the police will." Melissa had won their game of poker.  
  
It was a bluff, there was no recording that linked Spencer and her friends to any malignant plot. Garrett had told her that Alison and the girls had caused the fire incident that had blinded Jenna Marshall, a crime that clearly haunted Spencer. Using a person's paranoia against them was a brilliant battle tactic.  
  
Melissa stormed out of the Hastings household, heading out to her barnhouse. She had to call Garrett. The police officer had been right in his suspicion; Spencer had obtained the recording that Ian Thomas made on the night of Alison's murder, the video that placed him, Garrett, Jenna, and Melissa in the middle of the deceased blonde's bedroom. Even long after his death, the blue-eyed man was still a nuisance.

* * *

People like Garrett Reynolds were easily scared, which made them dangerously unpredictable. Even fluffy rabbits unsheathed their claws when cornered by a predator.   
  
Apparently, someone had tried to murder Jenna by luring her into the DiLaurentis house, locking the doors, and blowing up part of the building. Garrett was losing focus.  
  
Men respond to empty gestures of affection. It only took a few kisses and a couple of fake tears for Garrett to nominate himself as Melissa's knight.  
  
Since he still believed that the dark-haired girl was pregnant, he insisted on becoming her personal bodyguard. It was a shame, Garrett was a sweetheart, but he lacked any ounce of self-respect. Jenna Marshall had undoubtedly used him to further her own agenda for years.  
  
"You want this in the barn? It's heavy." Garrett insisted on carrying a package that had arrived for Melissa.  
  
The brunette led him through the Hastings household, her mind was preoccupied. Melissa wasn't sure what  was inside the box, she certainly hadn't ordered anything. It had been waiting on Melissa's doorstep, outside of her apartment in Philadelphia, with no labels or post office stamps. It had been hand-delivered. She thought it would be safer to bring the mysterious container back to Rosewood with her.   
  
"No, it's not. I'll be fine." Melissa shook her head, she didn't need Garrett snooping around in her business.  
  
"I don't want you carrying any more than you already are." Garrett cooed, his eyes looking straight into Melissa's face.

"Do you want a beer? You're off duty." Melissa offered as she allowed him to place her package on the kitchen countertop.  
  
"Um, I'll just take a soda if you got one." Garrett replied as the floor upstairs creaked, "Is someone else here?"  
  
"I don't think so." Melissa tried to ease his nerves.  
  
"Are you sure your sister didn't-"  
  
"Stop worrying. I've been scaring her since she was born." Melissa interjected with a reassuring smile, "There's no way she or her friends are turning in that video. Trust me."  
  
An unidentifiable noise startled Garrett. The young man placed a hand on his gun holster. He slowly prowled across the kitchen.  
  
Melissa noticed a few police officers at her backdoor, knocking softly. When she allowed them inside, the men proceeded to arrest Garrett for the murder of Alison DiLaurentis.  
  
Confused by the unexpected turn of events, the dark-haired woman spotted Spencer and her friends lurking by the stairway. Melissa's eyes narrowed, suspecting that her little sister was the reason that Garrett was being detained for a crime that he didn't commit.

* * *

"Wear this at the Masquerade Ball or everyone will learn the truth about your pregnancy. Distract your dear friend, Jenna Marshall. - A."  
  
Melissa read the note aloud, processing the ultimatum. Aside from the ominous threat, the mysterious package had the dark-haired woman's old Black Swan costume, carefully encased within the cardboard box.  
  
A? What did that even stand for? Anonymous? Alison DiLaurentis? Aria Montgomery? Ashley Marin? Asshole? Melissa had been right, this had all been a sick game conducted by an omnipresent puppeteer.  
  
Someone had followed Melissa to her fake obstetrician appointments. This person had to know that Wren Kingston was not qualified to perform a genuine ultrasound. Furthermore, the culprit had entered her apartment and stolen Melissa's own Black Swan outfit. It was a genius plan, to coerce the brunette into wearing a disguise that belonged to her.  
  
The Masquerade Ball was a dance held in Rosewood during the season of spring, a romantic event. Decorated a saloon as of it were an enchanted forest, the social gathering was meant to promote the idea of love at first sight. Melissa sighed, she had always been a fan of Shakespearean tales.

* * *

Melissa Hasting made intimidation seem like an art form.  
  
From the way that her mouth twisted upwards into a smirk, to how her dark pupils focused on a target intently, the raven-haired woman knew exactly how to determine if one of her sister's friends was posing as A.  
  
"Love gone wrong."   
  
Melissa announced her presence in the Hastings kitchen, watching Spencer and her associates twitch with fear.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Spencer asked.  
  
"I knew Ian didn't kill Alison, and you four can keep a secret, but you don't have the constitution for murder." Melissa noticed a discarded cup of frozen yogurt on the countertop, near Aria Montgomery, "Are you going to eat that?"  
  
Aria shook her head in fear, as if Melissa had asked for her soul. The smaller girl pushed the treat towards the dark-haired woman.  
  
"Thanks." Melissa grinned as she continued speaking, "I know how Jenna Marshall went blind, and so did Garrett. If he killed Alison, it's because he thought she deserved it."   
  
As she assessed each of their reactions, Melissa took a spoonful of the frozen yogurt, twirling the utensil in her mouth as she tasted the creamy refreshment.   
  
"Is this peanut butter?" Melissa wondered.  
  
"Toffee." Aria answered meekly.   
  
"It is good." Melissa plastered a fake smile on her face, "Thanks."  
  
Melissa couldn't get through a single day without something reminding her of CeCe Drake. The brunette had to end her discreet interrogation and exit the room before she was forced to explain why the mere mention of "toffee" had incited an emotional response from her.

* * *

As she navigated through the crowd, Melissa ran across the ballroom floor, trying to evade Spencer’s friends. She had completed her mission, dressed in the Black Swan costume, the brunette had spoken to Jenna. When some dark-haired boy intruded the conversation, Melissa decide to leave before people started recognizing her.

Rushing to the backdoor exit, Melissa closed the door behind her. She had to Spencer’s friends from following her. Looking around outside, the brunette grabbed a crowbar that had been laying on the floor, ramming the piece of metal against the door handle, effectively disabling the swinging mechanism.

“Jenna?”

A voice from behind called out to Melissa. She spun around to find herself in front of a beautiful girl. A grin adorned her face. With dark skin and raven hair, the young woman’s playful demeanor reminded Melissa of CeCe Drake, despite the contrasting physical features.

“No, sorry. Jenna is inside.” Melissa responded curtly, “I have to go.”

“It’s only a little bit after midnight.” The stranger replied with a slightly Southern accent, smirking flirtatiously, “See you around, Cinderella.”

Smiling at the nickname, Melissa headed toward her car. If her life were a fairy-tale, she wouldn’t be Cinderella. Melissa Hastings was meant to play the role of the wandering prince, but her golden-haired princess hadn’t even left behind a glass slipper.

* * *

“A body has been found, the police think that it belongs to a missing girl.”

A large multitude of people had gathered around at a street corner, near the Cavanaugh household, where Jenna Marshall lived with Toby, her mother, and her step-father. Melissa approached the crowd tentatively, fear tugged at her heartstrings. After all these years, the brunette still loved CeCe Drake, she wouldn’t be able to cope with the golden-haired girl’s death.

“It’s Maya St. Germain.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Melissa held onto her fake belly to calm herself down. She heard loud cries coming from across the street. In the distance, the dark-haired woman could see Emily Fields falling apart in Spencer’s arms. Her little sister embraced her friend, consoling the girl for the loss of Maya, her girlfriend. Spencer had spoken of Maya a few times, described her a more benevolent version of Alison DiLaurentis.

Melissa felt selfish for feeling happy that the victim had been identified as someone with no relation to her. The older woman recognized the anguish in Emily’s eyes, the same hollow feeling that she had experienced when they found Ian’s decaying corpse. Even if the younger girl would never admit it to herself, Melissa doubted that Emily was truly mourning the death of Maya St. Germain.


	9. A Girl Finds Hope

Chapter 9

A Girl Finds Hope

* * *

 

On the night of the Masquerade Ball, Spencer and her friends had unmasked the entity known as A.

A local girl from Rosewood named Mona Vanderwaal. After all the lies and deception, the mysterious figure that had been going by a single-letter identity was revealed as one of the countless people who Alison DiLaurentis bullied. Until Mona's arrest, Melissa had never even heard of the young brunette. It was absurd to be tormented by a person that you had never met.

Although Spencer claimed that Mona was behind a lot of the atrocities that had occurred during the year, such as Ian’s suicide note, the Rosewood police department had failed to find any evidence. Spencer swore that Mona had a “lair” at the Lost Woods Resort, but when law enforcement swept the area, none of them found a single shred of proof. Truth be told, Melissa wasn't sure what to believe.

Instead of prison, Mona was sent to the Radley Sanitarium. With Garrett Reynolds incarcerated for the murders of both Alison DiLaurentis and Maya St. Germain, it seemed as though peace had been restored to Rosewood.

As for Melissa’s personal life, she still had a pending matter to take care of. A few months after A had been uncovered, the dark-haired woman called Veronica from a hotel in Hanover. She admitted that had lost her baby on the night of Ian’s funeral. Her mother was sympathetic; she didn’t assault Melissa with questions. The older woman agreed to keep it a secret, to avoid the humiliation of everyone finding out that her daughter had been faking a pregnancy for so long.

Peter was also understanding to her plight, and both of her parents decided that it was best to leave the past behind them. Melissa would act as though she had a miscarriage in Hanover, the official story that would be presented to Spencer and the rest of the world. Veronica insisted that Melissa should see a psychologist, but the dark-haired woman was already accustomed to replacing any form of therapeutic help with a bottle of wine.

A thought weighed heavily on her mind, the fact that if Spencer was telling the truth about Mona’s lair then there was a bunch of evidence against Melissa hidden somewhere. She kept getting calls from a prison facility, evidently Garrett was trying to reach her. If Melissa could obtain the information that Mona had gathered, she might be able to erase all trace of her involvement in Alison’s life. It is likely that the young girl had collected most of the N.A.T. videos, her only connection to the slayed blonde.

Thinking like Peter Hastings, the brunette hired a private investigator, Miles Corwin, to find Mona’s alleged lair. It was a hopeless cause, but Melissa had become oddly obsessed with finding all that surveillance. It was not as if Mona knew anything about CeCe Drake, but there was a slim chance. Melissa’s heart refused to let it go.

Sitting at her loft in Philadelphia, Melissa’s mobile phone rang. It was Miles.

“Did you find anything?” Melissa didn’t waste time with meaningless greetings.

“Yes. I’ve been harassing Harold Crane, the owner of the Lost Woods Resort.” Miles explained in his monotonic voice, “He admitted to having moved all of Mona’s things on the night that she was arrested. Everything is in a storage room at some obscure warehouse. I can send you the address in a message right now.”

“Perfect.” Melissa replied curtly, “I’ll transfer five-hundred dollars to your bank account.”

“Pleasure doing business with you.” Miles chuckled dryly before ending the call.

After she received the location of the warehouse, Melissa promptly made the money transfer. The brunette grabbed her coat and headed toward the door. She was excited to find out what Mona had gone to such lengths to hide, even if she was just chasing ghosts.

* * *

Miles away from Rosewood, the warehouse was deserted at night. Melissa drove up to the entrance. Most of the self-service storage units were outside, within reach of their owners. It was dark and eerily quiet. Melissa stepped out of sedan, having parked near the field of containers.

The brunette knew that she didn't have the key to Mona's unit, but she wanted to inspect the type of lock that had been placed on it, hoping that she might derive how to open it. Melissa recalled the identification number that Miles had given her, searching for the correct match as she looked at each container. She started roaming through the area.  
  
A bustling could be heard close by. Turning around a corner, Melissa spotted a silhouette near Mona's storage unit. The person was shorter than her, wearing a black hooded sweater, and struggling with the lock. A thief most likely, but the brunette didn’t feel as fearful as she should.  
  
"Hey."   
  
Melissa broke the silence, addressing the individual in front of her. Spinning around on a heel, the figure faced the raven-haired woman. Brown eyes stared into a familiar pair of cerulean irises. Melissa's heart skipped a beat, her throat dried. The brunette choked on a name that she had been waiting two years to say again.  
  
"CeCe." A gentle whisper.  
  
"M-Melissa?" A startled inquiry.  
  
"H-How? What are you-" Melissa stuttered, "W-Why are you here?"  
  
"It's a long story." CeCe mumbled as she shuffled her feet.  
  
Taking in the CeCe's current appearance, the young woman looked unkempt, her face lacked an ounce of make-up. Rather than her usual pristine curls, messy strands of hair rested on the blonde's shoulders.  
  
"That's all I get after two years?" Melissa muttered sadly, "You can't even look me in the eyes?"  
  
"I'm s-sorry. I don't know what to say." CeCe shoved her hands in the pockets of the over-sized hoodie, "I don't know where to start."  
  
"You don't know where to start?” Melissa snapped, jaw clenching up with anger, “Okay, how about you tell me why you left me to cover up the fact that you killed Alison DiLaurentis?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Melissa. I didn't mean to kill anyone." CeCe replied softly.  
  
"CeCe, I couldn't care less about who you killed. I'm mad because you left me! You couldn't even tell me where you were going. You ran off. You don't even comprehend what you did to me. I looked everywhere for you.” Melissa fumed, “I looked for you until I convinced myself that I hated you. I'm not the same person anymore. I didn't love anyone after you, CeCe. I don't love unless it's you. You know how pathetic that is?”  
  
“Melissa, I didn’t-” CeCe was shocked.  
  
“I get it now. I wasn't worth a damn to you. Everything that you ever told me was a lie. I'll leave you to whatever this is all about." Melissa made a gesture with her hand directed at Mona's storage unit, "Goodbye, CeCe Drake."  
  
The dark-haired woman started to pivot around to leave, but CeCe reached out and grabbed her wrist. She pulled at Melissa’s sleeve, forcing the brunette to turn her head.  
  
“W-Wait, Mel.” CeCe pleaded. Her eyes were brimming with tears.  
  
Melissa obliged and spinning back around to face her. Truth be told, she wanted the blonde to stop her from leaving. She needed CeCe to convince her to stay.  
  
"I'm not good enough for you. You fell in love with CeCe Drake, and she doesn't even exist!" CeCe cried, "You don't love the real me. I keep her hidden, in the dark, so you never see how broken and twisted she is. You spent two years without me in the outside world, but I spent two years without you at a facility for mental patients. Living without Melissa Hastings is a lot harder than living without CeCe Drake.” 

Sobs wrecked through CeCe’s small frame, quivering as she stepped away from the brunette.

Reaching out tentatively, Melissa placed her hands on the blonde’s shoulders. She gave CeCe a small smile, tugging the golden-haired woman closer to her. CeCe buried her head in the crook of Melissa’s neck, grasping onto the brunette’s shirt.  
  
"Just answer one question." Melissa whispered in CeCe’s ear, "Did you really love me?"   
  
Pulling back to look at Melissa, the blonde's expression had softened. She lifted her head to gaze upon the brunette’s face. Her cerulean eyes were brimming with tears.  
  
"Yes." CeCe replied without hesitation, “I loved you, and I always will.”  
  
There was not a trace of insincerity in CeCe’s voice. A silence loomed between them. Melissa wanted to believe the blonde's words, but she didn’t want to get hurt again. The raven-haired woman stepped closer to CeCe, crickets chirped in the distance. Conflicting emotions swirled within Melissa’s heart, relieved that she had found CeCe, but disappointed that she had been abandoned by the blue-eyed girl.

Her hands wandered to touch the blonde’s skin, cupping her face. Melissa’s thumbs brushed the tears sliding down CeCe’s cheeks. Leaning forward, the brown-eyed woman pressed her lips against the smaller girl’s forehead. The kiss was chaste and sweet. When Melissa pulled back, she was genuinely smiling, resigned to the fact that her heart would always belong to CeCe Drake.

"Well, that's good.” Melissa repeated a phrase from the past, “We're _still_ in love with each other."

CeCe’s eyes lit up, her mouth slowly twisting upwards. She threw her arms around the taller woman’s neck, burrowing her face in Melissa’s ebony curls.

"There is _noise_ in my head when you aren't around, voices that torment me and give me bad advice." CeCe confessed, mumbling against Melissa’s hair, "I know that you have a lot of questions, but you might not want to hear the answers. I'm s-sick, Melissa. I'm certainly not good enough for you."   
  
Melissa remembered why CeCe had been institutionalized at the Radley Sanitarium; a disgustingly unjustifiable reason. She was just a girl who was born inside a boy’s body, nothing that merited being banished from her family.  
  
The years that CeCe had spent in the mental institute had deteriorated her mind. Given unwarranted amounts of medication, surrounded by individuals who were unstable, it had all affected the blonde. CeCe was suffering from some form of psychological disorder, a disease that she desperately resisted.

“Hey.” Melissa cooed as CeCe nuzzled against her chest, “You are good enough for anyone in the world, but you are perfect to me.”  
  
A sudden grumble from the blonde’s stomach disturbed Melissa’s heartfelt declaration. The brunette realized that CeCe must be starving. The shorter woman sprang apart from Melissa, biting her lower lip in embarrassment.

“S-Sorry.” CeCe apologized, her face reddening, “I haven’t eaten in a while.”

“There’s a diner a few miles from here.” Melissa stated, “Do you have a car?”

“N-No, I hitched a ride from the motel that I'm staying at, taking me to this place.” CeCe revealed nervously, “I have very limited funds. I bet t-that you probably have a lot of questions, r-right?”

“I do, but let me buy you a meal first.” Melissa offered tenderly, “Then we can go to your motel and talk, okay?”

Tears were quietly streaming down the blonde’s cheeks. CeCe was struggling to remain composed, but her eyes were redshot.     
  
“Y-Yeah?” CeCe sounded hopeful, "You still want me?"

“Always.” Melissa stated firmly, briefly pecking CeCe’s cheek, “Let’s go. I want you to meet my car.”

“Oh?” CeCe perked up, her playful demeanor slowly emerging, “You finally learned how to drive? I’m so proud.”

“You’re still so mean to me.” Melissa grabbed CeCe’s hand, guiding the blonde toward the black sedan.

Piercing through the clouds in the night sky, the moon shined a silvery while light upon Melissa and CeCe. Both girls felt as though a fragment of their souls had been restored. After they boarded the vehicle, Melissa retrieved CeCe’s hand, intertwining their fingers. The smaller woman rested her head against the brunette’s shoulder for the entirety of the trip. There was so much loud rustling inside CeCe’s head, but Melissa Hastings always seemed to quiet the sound down.

* * *

It's a quaint establishment by the side of the road, mostly hidden between a bunch of tall trees. The neon red sign proclaimed the name of the diner, The Two Crows, flashing brightly for motorists to see. As Melissa began to exit her black Mercedes-Benz sedan, she lingered by the car door. For a moment, she considered the idea of changing food venue.

"Wow. It's a vintage diner." CeCe gushed, stepping out of the black vehicle in a hurry, "Come on, Mel."  
  
The golden-haired woman was already by the entrance before Melissa had even locked her automobile. It was wonderful to see CeCe excited about something so simple. The blonde grinned widely at Melissa, with the enthusiasm of a child.  
  
With an amused chuckle, Melissa hooked the strap of her handbag over her shoulder. Entering the Two Crows diner, the door chimed to announce the arrival of new patrons.  
  
"Welcome to the Two Crows!" A plump woman with a kind face greeted them warmly, "My name is Marlene, I'll be your waitress tonight. Seating for two?"  
  
"Yes, thank you." Melissa nodded politely.  
  
"Oh, honey." Marlene tilted her head as she judged CeCe's outfit, "Dress more appropriately if you are going out on a date."  
  
A blush spread across CeCe's cheeks. She suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious in her black hoodie and dark pants. She opted for staring at the floor, hoping that the ground would swallow her whole.  
  
A warm hand brushed against her arm, Melissa beckoned the blonde to gaze at her. The dark-haired girl leaned in and kissed CeCe's nose.  
  
"I think that my _girlfriend_ looks beautiful." Melissa gushed.  
  
With a boisterous laugh, Marlene led both young women to their table, presenting each one of them with a menu. CeCe forgot about the embarrassment that had been experiencing, her mind only dwelled on two of words that Melissa had uttered.  
  
As the dark-haired woman inspected the list of dishes available at the restaurant, CeCe assessed her _girlfriend_. She couldn't blame the waitress for the humiliating comment. Melissa was especially radiant tonight. Her long hair was perfectly arranged in waves and her azure polo shirt hugged her body in all the right places. Melissa had completed the elegant attire with one of her signature blazers.  
  
As CeCe continued daydreaming about tracing her fingers along the faint blemishes on the brunette's left cheek, Melissa took the liberty of ordering their meals.  
  
"...I'll take a salad. She'll have a cheeseburger with extra fries, and hold the pickles. For desert, we’ll have two boysenberry pies." Melissa addressed CeCe expectantly, "Right, Ce?"  
  
"Y-Yes." CeCe answered eagerly, pretending that she had been listening attentively, "No pickles."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Your girl has got you covered." Marlene teased as she wrote down the order.  
  
Melissa watched the waitress saunter over to the kitchen, waiting until the older woman was out of sight. Rotating her head, the brunette surveyed their current environment, noting that the diner was empty, except for a truck driver sitting at the farthest booth in the back.  
  
"So..." Melissa chose her next words carefully, as if CeCe was a cat that she didn't want to frighten, "Can I ask you a few simple questions?"  
  
Melissa gazed at what was probably a thousand different emotions flitting across CeCe's features. With a single nod, the blonde reached over the table for Melissa's hand.  
  
"How did you know about Mona's storage unit?" Melissa inquired softly.  
  
"When she arrived at the Radley Sanitarium, the doctors were giving her really strong medication. She thought that I was Alison and she bragged about her exploits as a mysterious entity known as A." CeCe gauged Melissa's face, expecting a judgmental expression, "Mona told me about how she had hidden all her stuff in a storage unit. The key of the unit was hidden under a large boulder near the entrance of the main warehouse. She was plotting to loosen the screws on a window at the lobby of the institute and exit the building. I stole Mona's escape plan, hoping that she had acquired something that could help me."

"And did you?" Melissa caressed CeCe's knuckles with her thumb, encouraging the blonde to continue.  
  
"Yes. I found a copy of Alison's autopsy report." CeCe explained, "It said that she died from asphyxiation, which means that I didn't murder her. My mother killed Alison when she b-buried her."   
  
"Wait, no. Hold on. I could have sworn that I buried Alison?" Melissa was confused, "Why would your mother even be at the DiLaurentis backyard?"  
  
"My mother is Jessica DiLaurentis, head director at the Radley Sanitarium. Needless to say, a lot of the patients feel misplaced anger toward my mother. On the night that Alison stole the N.A.T. Club videos, one of the patients, Bethany Young, took my clothes and pretended to be me in order to take advantage of my out-patient privileges. She was going to hurt my mother, so I rushed after her. That's why I sounded so distracted when you called me. From behind, I thought that Alison was Bethany, because I forgot that my mother usually purchases the same clothes for us both." CeCe ran a hand through her hair, trying to finish her recollection, "After I accidentally hit Alison with a rock, my mother thought that she was dead, so she buried her under the ground where the new gazebo was going to be build. She called Officer Darren Wilden, bribing him to escort me back to the Radley Sanitarium and forget the entire incident. Before he arrived, I told my mother that I was going to use the bathroom, but I went out the backdoor, to say goodbye to you. That was harder than burying my sister, knowing that I would never see you again."  
  
Melissa was fully engrossed in the story, ignoring that the waitress had served them their meals. The brunette's salad remained untouched as she tried to process all these revelations. CeCe swirled one of her fries around in the ketchup cup, her brain was trying to evaluate the situation.  
  
"I called my mother, and since she doesn't want to go prison for killing Alison, she granted me this limited freedom. She lied to the board at the Radley Sanitarium, told them that I've been transferred elsewhere." CeCe smirked, proud of her ingenuity, "I mean, I don't have a passport or an identity, and if anyone finds out about me, I'll probably get sent back, but at least it's something."  
  
Her optimism was infectious, but Melissa couldn't stop obsessing over the events that had transpired almost three years ago, on a Labor Day weekend that had ended with the deaths of two girls in the DiLaurentis backyard.  
  
"I must have buried Bethany Young." Melissa muttered, trying to keep her voice low.  
  
"In the same place?" CeCe amusingly dragged Melissa's salad bowl in front of herself, "We need to establish a timeline."  
  
"I'm developing a migraine." Melissa began massaging her forehead.  
  
"I hit Alison with a rock." CeCe threw one of her fries in Melissa's plate, "And my mother buried her."  
  
"Is Alison the fry?" Melissa tried to stop herself from chuckling as CeCe placed a lettuce leaf on top of the potato stick.  
  
"Someone hit Bethany." CeCe tossed another fry in the salad bowl, "And you buried her."  
  
"This is cute, but I fail to see how it helps-"  
  
"Well, the ketchup is the blood." CeCe stated in a deadpan manner.  
  
"You're incorrigible." Melissa shook her head, breaking into a fit of giggles.  
  
"It got you to laugh." CeCe smiled lovingly, "I've missed hearing you laugh."  
  
The thought of the blonde being alone in a room at the Radley Sanitarium, isolated from the rest of the world, it was unarguably calamitous. Melissa imagined that CeCe wanted to escape her former life for the night, be a young woman who was simply enjoying a meal with her girlfriend.  
  
As CeCe took a bite of her cheeseburger, the brunette came to the conclusion that they should relish their time together. Both girls needed this brief moment of peace. Melissa suspected that the blonde's past could soon threaten her present. A storm was already brewing, but CeCe Drake would never have to weather it alone.


	10. A Girl Tames The Darkness

Chapter 10

A Girl Tames The Darkness

* * *

 

Morning slowly crept in through the window of a cheap motel room, spreading sunlight over the two occupants on the bed. It reached Melissa’s face, forcing her to wake up. She groaned in protest before rolling on her side.  
  
It took Melissa a moment to adjust to the new environment. The dark-haired woman had forgotten where she was for a second, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.  
  
A grin appeared on the brunette’s face as she felt CeCe’s bare body pressed against her. Wrapping an arm around the smaller girl's middle, Melissa pulled her closer.   
  
CeCe responded by fitting her head into the curve of the taller woman's neck, humming contentedly in her sleep. Melissa ran her hands up and down the blonde's back. CeCe grumbled; she wasn't ready to get up just yet.  
  
"A few more minutes, Mel." CeCe sleepily muttered.

With a sigh, CeCe nuzzled against Melissa's skin, her favorite haven. The brunette smiled to herself as she placed a gentle kiss on the golden-haired girl's cheek.

"Sleep, baby. I'll be here." Melissa cooed into CeCe's ear.

Melissa had always thought that CeCe Drake had used her, that everything the blonde had told her was a lie. She had believed that CeCe was out partying and gallivanting around the world. Her theory had been disproven.

CeCe was imprisoned in a mental institute for the past two years, just like she had been for fifteen years prior to the summer that they had met. Melissa felt utter disgust for the DiLaurentis family.  
  
The brunette remembered everything that CeCe had ever said about her family, but now she finally had names and faces to hate.  
  
Kenneth DiLaurentis was the despot father who had greatly overreacted when little Charles had accidentally hurt his baby sister. The boy had just been trying to give Alison a bubble bath. However, the small child had almost drowned her because he failed to notice that the water-level in the tub was too high.  
  
It was a normal incident that was bound to happen if a parent left a young child unsupervised with a baby. Charles had good intentions; he wanted to comfort his beloved sibling. At that age, Melissa would have purposely smothered her own sister if she were crying incessantly.  
  
CeCe's father had used that as an excuse to incarcerate her in the Radley Sanitarium. Kenneth knew that his eldest child enjoyed wearing dresses and playing with dolls.  
  
Melissa fumed; she tightened her hold on the young woman in her arms. CeCe had been confined in a mental institute just for being a girl who had been born in a boy's body. It wasn't fair.  
  
Jessica DiLaurentis wasn't any better than her husband. She had allowed Kenneth to discard CeCe. The woman would never defy her tyrannical spouse if it meant losing the luxurious lifestyle that she had grown accustomed to.  
  
CeCe had been deprived of a real childhood. She had been robbed of going to amusement parks, watching movies, and playing with friends. She had never even been allowed to indulge in the simple act of binge-eating junk food after a tough day at school.  
  
Had CeCe even seen a recent Disney film? Had she ever eaten a whole pint of ice-cream? Had she ever played a video game?  
  
The blonde had probably spent most of her birthdays on her own, and there was no way that Jessica could visit the poor child in the Radley Sanitarium on Christmas when she had to host an elaborate dinner party at the DiLaurentis estate. Melissa felt her heart contort; CeCe had spent every single holiday alone.  
  
Jason DiLaurentis, half a Hastings, half a DiLaurentis, the young man was a full idiot. He should have been able to deduce that CeCe Drake was related to him, that the blonde girl was trying to some spend time with her little brother, if all the substances that he abused hadn't effectively fried his brain.   
  
Most of the time, Jason wasn't even aware of his surroundings. He was fully devoted to alcoholic beverages, marijuana, and an assortment of narcotics. Melissa was pleased to realize that her physical attraction toward him was a simple case of misplaced feelings, a result of the similarities that he shared with Charles DiLaurentis.

Alison DiLaurentis was disappointing. She was strangely intuitive when it came to matters that didn't pertain to her, but she couldn't conceive that the older girl who wanted to be her friend was a beloved sibling in actuality. It wasn't that much of a surprise, since Alison had never been able to comprehend how much Emily Fields loved her.  
  
Melissa had always known that all the members of the DiLaurentis clan were toxic, but she didn't know the extent of their malice and neglect. In their own little ways, whether actively or passively, they had destroyed CeCe.  
  
"M-Melissa?" CeCe whispered, trailing her fingers across Melissa’s stomach.  
  
"Yes, Ce?" Melissa replied.  
  
“I just didn’t think that you were real.” CeCe murmured softly, “I thought that it all had been a dream.”  
  
“No, baby. It isn’t a dream. I’m here.” Melissa caressed CeCe’s cheek, “I’ll always be here.”  
  
The blonde sprang apart from Melissa. CeCe sat up on the bed, seemingly conflicted about something as she ran her hands through her golden hair.

"I need to tell you something, but I don't know how you'll react to it." CeCe bit her lower lip nervously.  
  
"I'll probably be harsh and judgmental. I am a Hastings." Melissa joked as she sat up and crossed her legs.   
  
"I'm serious, Mel." CeCe whimpered.  
  
"I love you, CeCe. I won’t ever judge you. Tell me.” Melissa enveloped CeCe in an embrace, pulling her close.  
  
"Your father knows about me. Peter and my mother have more secrets than just our illegitimate half-brother." CeCe confessed, her head resting on Melissa's shoulder, "He knows that I used to be Charles, I saw him a few times when I was little, around our house. I just didn't know that he was your father until I grew older. He was in charge of overseeing the legal documents that bound me to the Radley Sanitarium."  
  
"Oh?" Melissa was probably going to need coffee after this conversation.  
  
This new information was problematic. Melissa was hoping that her parents could assist CeCe, but Veronica and Peter Hastings would never advocate for the release of a dangerous mental patient.  
  
The brunette began stroking CeCe's hair absentmindedly, but the smaller girl pulled back abruptly. She scooted away from Melissa, leaving a significant space between them on the mattress.  
  
"Peter knows about my p-psychosis." CeCe clutched the bedsheets tightly as she spoke, "The doctors haven't reached an unanimous conclusion a-about what is wrong with me, but the general consensus is that I have a borderline-personality disorder."  
  
The blonde knew that there was no turning back from this admission,  Melissa might not accept her with so many flaws. CeCe avoided glancing at the raven-haired woman, afraid of what emotion she would find inside those brown eyes.  
  
Melissa was stuck in a pensive state, her facial features remained neutral as she deliberated the situation internally.  
  
CeCe truly belonged in a mental institution. She suffered from a borderline-personality disorder, an ailment that is characterized by impulsive or dangerous behavior, uncontrollable emotional reactions that often seem disproportionate to the event, and an inability to form stable relationships with other people.  
  
"M-Mel?"   
  
Her girlfriend's voice was meek. Melissa snapped out of her daze. Releasing a wistful sigh, the brunette crawled toward CeCe. An arm snaked its way around the blonde's waist, urging her to lay down. CeCe loosened her grip on the bedsheets, allowing Melissa to settle her on the mattress. She reached up for the taller woman's face, caressing Melissa's cheek.   
  
“Melissa?” CeCe waited for a response, staring at the stoic brunette who was hovering above her.

Melissa propped herself up with an elbow as her other hand trailed its fingers across CeCe's skin. Regardless of her psychological condition, it was still CeCe. Her CeCe, looking at her with apprehensive blue eyes. Melissa slid her hand down to lightly hold the blonde's chin between her knuckles and her thumb.   
  
"You need help." Melissa murmured.  
  
Cerulean irises narrowed as CeCe's pupils became dilated. A flash of anger glimmered ardently in her eyes. When she tried to lift herself up from the mattress, Melissa pressed a palm against the blonde's sternum, restraining her in place.  
  
"I'm not going back to the Radley Sanitarium." CeCe growled, nostrils flaring up, "I don't belong there!"  
  
The raven-haired woman wasn’t equipped to contain these violent outbursts. Although she had an abnormally large intelligent quotient, Melissa lacked the years of wisdom required to make this sort of decision. There was something dark lurking beneath the surface of her girlfriend, and she had no idea what the right thing to do about that was. Melissa Hastings only knew that CeCe Drake loved her, and that the feeling was indisputably mutual.  
  
"You're right." Melissa lowered herself down, her face was centimeters away from CeCe's snarling mouth, "You belong with me."  
  
Slowly tucking a wisp of golden hair behind CeCe's ear, Melissa observed as the smaller girl's aggressive disposition began to dissipate.

"I love you." Melissa proclaimed, as if the secret cure to alleviate CeCe's affliction was simply undying devotion, "I'll always love you, no matter what."  
  
Closing the distance between them, Melissa captured her girlfriend's lips. CeCe responded by throwing her arms around the brunette's neck, kissing her back in a breathless manner that crushed the taller woman's soul. CeCe sincerely believed that Melissa could save her from the demons living inside.  
  
When Melissa leaned back, she saw that CeCe's frown had vanished, replaced with a loving smile. Her sapphire eyes were no longer clouded with rage, but glowing with affection.  
  
The brunette laid down beside her, sliding a hand under CeCe's head, threading her fingers through the shorter woman's curls. With a light nudge, the blonde nestled herself against Melissa's neck, draping an arm on her girlfriend's smooth stomach.  
  
"My father is an idiot." Melissa sighed, "I know that he keeps more secrets."  
  
"He can't know about us, Mel. Please, promise me. Your father is a powerful man, he wouldn't stop until I was out of your life." CeCe begged, "H-He can convince you to abandon me and-"  
  
"Hush." Melissa interrupted CeCe's ramblings, "I don't trust my father's judgment. He hired a private investigator because he thought that I had murder Alison."  
  
"Well, you did technically murder someone-"  
  
"Hey! I thought that we were going to be supportive of each other's issues." Melissa feigned indignation, "You deserve to be punished."  
  
The brunette flipped on top of CeCe, straddling the shorter woman as she began tickling her.  
  
"Stop, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." CeCe chuckled as she tried swatting Melissa's hands, "I give up!"  
  
With a final giggle, CeCe reached out to touch the dark-haired woman suspended above her. She cupped Melissa's face, reeling her in for a firm kiss. Fingers were tangled her girlfriend's raven curls while Melissa wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist.  
  
After a few minutes, CeCe was forced to liberate Melissa’s mouth, panting from the lack of oxygen. Her hand began tracing along the brunette's jawline, gently memorizing the outline of Melissa's face. CeCe's thumb grazed against her girlfriend's swollen lips.  
  
"My mother always warned me to never trust a Hastings." CeCe muttered softy, "She told me that you were all terrible people."  
  
Melissa trailed her fingers along the blonde's torso, exploring the tender skin below her girlfriend's breasts. A moan slipped from CeCe's lips, and the raven-haired woman felt a sense of accomplishment.   
  
"Did she?" Melissa quipped smugly, her hands slid down to smaller girl's hips, "How terrible am I?"  
  
"The most terrible one of them all." CeCe teased, "I love you, Melissa Hastings."  
  
"And I love you, even if I don't know your real name." Melissa commented playfully, "Now, get dressed. I'm going to go get us some breakfast. Then, you're going to explain to me how you managed to pay for this motel."  
  
Melissa gave CeCe a quick peck on the cheek. She turned and sat up on the edge of the bed, facing away from CeCe as she began putting her brassiere on.  
  
The blonde gaped shamelessly at Melissa's perfectly sculpted figure. Every limb was proportional, each curve was a impeccable. Melissa Hastings was a flawless work of art, a masterpiece that belonged in a museum.  
  
"I'll be back in an hour or so." Melissa informed CeCe nonchalantly.  
  
The dark-haired woman tied the laces of her boots, having finished dressing herself while the blonde had been lost in a provocative fantasy. Melissa was already standing, rummaging her purse for the keys to her black sedan when CeCe spoke.  
  
"You'll come back, right?" The insecure statement escaped the blonde's mouth weakly.  
  
Smoothing out the lapels of her blazer, Melissa spun around. At the sight of the fragile girl, the brunette's chest swelled with guilt. CeCe had been abandoned by her family, and she feared that Melissa would do the same thing. She looked so small and rejected, just sitting on the mattress, fidgeting with her hands.

"CeCe, look at me." Melissa ordered.   
  
Approaching the bed, Melissa reached for CeCe’s cheek with one hand. She leaned in and pressed her lips on CeCe's forehead, encouraging the blonde to look up.  
  
"Whatever happens, I'll always come back for you, okay? We're in this together. I might get mad, you might get mad, but I swear to you, I'll always come back." Melissa's voice did not falter. CeCe conceded a smile.  
  
"You're so hot when you're making declarations." CeCe grinned.  
  
Jingling the keys of her vehicle, Melissa blew her girlfriend a kiss as she lingered at the doorway.  
  
"Well, it got you to smile. I'll be back, baby." Melissa smirked.  
  
With a casual wave, CeCe watched Melissa walk out of the motel room.  
  
CeCe began getting off from the bed as she heard the engine of Melissa's vehicle roar. She chastised herself for appearing so damaged. The blonde promised the voices in her head that she would become stronger. Melissa Hastings didn't want a broken doll.

* * *

It was almost noon when Melissa waltzed back into the motel room, carrying a bunch of bags and juggling with a tray of coffee drinks on one hand.  
  
Sitting on the bed, CeCe darted off from the mattress and helped her girlfriend with some of the packages, noticing that Melissa's allegedly simple trip for a pair of breakfast meals had turned into a shopping spree.  
  
"What is all this stuff?" CeCe placed a few of Melissa's wrapped purchases on the lunch table.  
  
"Open them up and see for yourself." Melissa placed a kiss on CeCe's cheek.  
  
The blonde's face lit up when she opened the first bag. She pulled out a beautiful cotton dress with orange and pink stripes, resembling her typical wardrobe style.  
  
Jessica DiLaurentis had confiscated all of her clothes after Alison's death, condemning her to wear pastel cardigans and sweatpants as a mental patient. Besides the black hoodies that CeCe had stolen from Mona's storage unit, all her belongings were gathered in a suitcase by the door. An array of outfits that looked more like sleepwear, the blonde greatly missed her old attire.  
  
CeCe searched through all the packages that Melissa brought, every single one of them was full of items in the blonde's size. A variety of summer skirts, marvelous blouses, colorful dresses, accompanied with matching heels, some accessories, and a stunning set of boots.  
  
"Melissa, I can't accept all of these gifts." CeCe gasped when she glanced at the receipts, "It's way too much. These boots were nine-hundred dollars!"  
  
"I'll admit, I got a bit carried away." Melissa's eyes glinted with mischief, "But Lizzy Farren deserves the best that money can buy."  
  
Chuckling as she raised her hands in defeat, CeCe was amazed at how perceptive Melissa was.  
  
"How did you figure it out?" CeCe asked, flopping down on the mattress.  
  
"It isn't likely that some random girl from the University of Pennsylvania was going to send me such a personalized gift for my baby shower." Melissa sat on the border of the bed, near CeCe, "I keep the swan figurine on my book shelf, it was the best gift I got that day, because it had nothing to do with Taylor."  
  
Melissa's eyes glossed over, her throat became constricted with emotion as she thought about her unborn child.  
  
A sickening jealousy coursed through CeCe's veins. She despised Ian, the blue-eyed man who provided Melissa with all the normal things that she deserved, the life that CeCe could never give her. However, when she saw a tear stream down the brunette's cheek, CeCe glided across the bed to where Melissa sat.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, Mel." CeCe whispered, slowly taking Melissa's hand and cradling it on her lap, "I know that Ian meant a lot to you."  
  
"You idiot." Melissa scoffed, "I only married Ian to fill the gaping hole that you left in my chest."  
  
Despite her harsh words, Melissa interlaced her fingers with CeCe's own digits, tenderly stroking the blonde's palm with her thumb.  
  
"You were the inspiration behind Taylor's name." Melissa murmured, "I wanted a gender-neutral name. I kept thinking that if Taylor had my hair and Ian's blue eyes then she would feel like our child."

"That's sweet." CeCe hummed, "I'd love to have a family with you, i-if you wanted."  
  
The taller woman rested her head on CeCe’s shoulder, their hands remained joined as Melissa buried her face in a mane of golden hair. CeCe still smelled like coconut, a signature fragrance that always calmed Melissa's anxiety.  
  
"I want everything that you're willing to give me." Melissa hummed.  
  
Fingers combing through raven curls, CeCe kept petting her girlfriend, trying to offer the brunette at least a fleeting moment of comfort.  
  
"How did you know about my baby shower?" It dawned upon Melissa that the blonde girl had kept track of her life somehow.  
  
"My mother forced me to lease a loft with some random girl from the University of Pennsylvania, so I could seem like a regular college student. After I went back to the Radley Sanitarium, my mother kept paying the rent, so my roommate wouldn't ask questions." All these stories made it clear to Melissa that Jessica DiLaurentis was a master at deception, "I can't even remember the young woman's name, our entire relationship consisted of sharing a couple of beers together. I managed to send her a letter, even attached a credit card that I had stolen from a nurse's wallet, and she bought me the swan figurine. Then I rewrapped it and sent it to you. I can sort of convince my nurse technician to grant me small favors."  
  
"Right, but how did you _know_ that I was even throwing a baby shower?" Melissa reiterated her question.   
  
"Oh, Lucas told me." CeCe chirped casually.  
  
"Who the hell is Lucas?" Melissa lifted her head off from the smaller woman's shoulder, her dark eyes narrowed as she focused solely on CeCe’s face.  
  
"Lucas Gottesman, a little boy who used to follow me around at a camp that I attended when I was fifteen. We exchanged contact information." CeCe recalled fondly, "He has been sending me messages for years, talking about everything that goes on his life, which sometimes includes the affairs of Spencer's gorgeous sister. When I have access to the internet, I am able to respond."  
  
Huffing angrily, Melissa recoiled her hands away from the blonde. She crossed her arms in annoyance.  
  
"Are you jealous of Lucas?" CeCe scoffed at the idea, "Have you even seen Lucas? Don't you remember that I missed my curfew when I was at that camp to spend an entire night with you?"  
  
"You spent one night with me, but apparently you have a whole lifetime of cherished memories with Lucas. What if I am jealous?" Melissa frowned, tilting her head to the side, "You've been talking to some young man, and I don't even get a-"  
  
"Lucas is a lanky boy that is obsessed with Hanna Marin!" CeCe giggled. Melissa's possessiveness was adorable.  
  
"O-Oh." Melissa blushed.  
  
Brown eyes darting anywhere that CeCe couldn’t catch them, Melissa desperately avoided the blonde's gaze. She was embarrassed, but a bit disappointed. CeCe had been able to send messages to some insignificant child, but had neglected Melissa for over two years. It was disheartening.  
  
"Well, you could have sent me a message too." Melissa mumbled as she pouted, "How did you even get access to the Internet?"  
  
"The nurse technician who is assigned to me, Eddie Lamb, he is kind and allowed me to use his mobile phone to-"  
  
"ELamb. You were ELamb." The corners of Melissa's mouth curved upwards.  
  
"I'm sorry, if that was creepy but-"  
  
"You're perfect."  
  
The blonde barely processed her girlfriend's compliment before Melissa surged forward, kissing her hard and pulling her in. It was rougher, faster, and more desperate than ever before. Melissa's fingers threaded through the smaller woman's hair.

Palms on CeCe’s shoulders, the brunette pushed her girlfriend onto her back. The golden-haired woman's lips melted against Melissa's mouth. The warm sensation that she felt in her chest could only be caused by her CeCe, her guardian angel. The brunette knew these lips, their ebbs and flows, even after two years apart.   
  
Melissa slowly drew back to survey the aftermath. Breathless, but otherwise content, CeCe’s eyes fluttered open.  
  
"I wanted you to move on." CeCe's voice was gentle, "I thought that I was going to be at the Radley Sanitarium for the rest of my life, and I needed you to be happy."  
  
Sweeping down to press wet kisses on her girlfriend’s neck, Melissa wedged her knee in between the shorter woman's legs. CeCe curled her fingers around the back of the brunette’s neck as she grazed a particularly sensitive spot.   
  
"I heard you screaming me for me, when you were at the Radley Sanitarium one day, asking for me, and the security guards dragged you away." CeCe confessed, her hand trembled as she grasped Melissa's raven tresses, "I-It broke my heart. The only thing that I prayed for every night was your h-happiness- that was all I wanted."  
  
The dark-haired woman grabbed hold of her girlfriend's wrists and pinned them on the mattress. It was not lost on CeCe that they were now chest to chest. Melissa’s eyes darkened with a predatory leer.   
  
"Lucas thinks that I am still Charles. It helps him feel more comfortable when talking to m-me." CeCe felt hypnotized by Melissa's auburn irises, "You know more about me than anyone else in the world does. I don't have to be Charles with you. I don't have to be Freddy. I can be myself. I love you, Mel."  
  
The blue-eyed girl remained transfixed, drowning in those brown fractals. Melissa invented the art form of dragging her fingertips down CeCe’s back, flicking against the smaller woman's waistband. CeCe bit back a moan as her hips canted forward of their own accord.  
  
"I love you, CeCe." Melissa mumbled between the kisses she was peppering CeCe’s neck with, "I have no more questions for now."  
  
CeCe’s breath quickened as one of the brunette’s hands dipped under the hem of her shirt. Higher and higher, until it wormed itself between the wire of the blonde's brassiere and her fair skin. At the swipe of Melissa’s thumb over a particular point, CeCe whimpered and arched up against her girlfriend's body.  
  
Diving in to silence the blonde's groans, Melissa kissed her deeply. She conquered the inside of CeCe’s mouth. The smaller woman nipped at the brunette’s bottom lip, grinding her hips harder along Melissa’s thigh.  
  
It didn't matter how much time had passed, the golden-haired woman always found a path back to Melissa. From the moment that she met the blonde at the Campbell apple farm, their bond had become almost supernatural. CeCe Drake was the unwavering constant in the brunette's life, a phantom that Melissa Hastings would follow to the ends of the world.


	11. A Girl Enjoys The Calm

Chapter 11

A Girl Enjoys The Calm

* * *

 

Some decisions define us. Melissa often looked back at all the choices that she made in her life, wondering which one should have been done differently. Regrets ate away at her, troublesome thoughts that reminded the brunette of how much easier life would be if she had the ability to foresee the inevitable sequence of current events.

"Why don't we just leave for Europe?" 

Melissa muttered a casual suggestion as her girlfriend unlocked the motel room. It was time to think about their future together, to plan how to leave Rosewood and free themselves from its malignant spell. The brunette had so much that she wanted to discuss, but every time that CeCe gave her a tender look, butterflies fluttered in Melissa's stomach and she would forget how to breath.  
  
"Have you acquired your master of business administration degree yet?" CeCe led them inside.  
  
"No, but I can always settle for-"  
  
The dark-haired girl's sentence was interrupted when CeCe's lips pressed against her mouth. Melissa melted into the kiss, instinctively wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist. With a smug grin, CeCe pulled back, as if she knew that a single touch had rendered Melissa defenseless.  
  
"I won't allow you to _settle_ for anything. You are finishing your education at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania." CeCe stated firmly, "I can fix my own mess."  
  
"It's not only your mess to fix." Melissa trailed a hand up along CeCe's neck, "I buried a girl in the DiLaurentis backyard, and we still don't know why the police found one single body."  
  
Curling her fingers, Melissa used her knuckles to lift the blonde's chin, forcing those sapphire irises to meet her gaze. A flicker of confusion, CeCe's eyes widened.  
  
"That's true!" CeCe gasped as she took a step back from Melissa, " _One_ body was found. Do you remember precisely where you buried Bethany?"  
  
"Sorry, but no. Believe it or not, I forgot to write down the exact coordinates where I entombed a corpse." Melissa quipped.  
  
"This is serious, Mel." CeCe whined, pacing around the bedroom as she processed her newly formulated epiphany, "We need to figure this out. It's like a puzzle."  
  
Removing her blazer, Melissa sat on the edge of the mattress. The brunette sighed as she combed a hand through her raven curls. She needed to go to Philadelphia for a couple hours. The young woman had to grab a few items from her loft if she planned on inhabiting CeCe's motel room.  
  
"CeCe, listen. I can't stay here tonight." Melissa spoke sternly.  
  
"Why?" CeCe was alarmed, hopping on the bed and crawling toward Melissa, "W-What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing is wrong, darling." Melissa gathered CeCe up in her arms, "I just need a change of clothes, showering and putting on the same outfit is only acceptable for one night."  
  
"O-Oh." CeCe nodded as she released her hold on Melissa’s torso, "So then you'll be back tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes, of course." Melissa stood up from the bed, "I'll be back, first thing in the morning."  
  
"Here's my spare key-card." CeCe offered, "So you can let yourself in, if you want."  
  
"Thanks, baby." Melissa accepted the small slip of plastic.  
  
With a playful smirk, the brunette pecked her girlfriend's cheek. Her lips lingered on CeCe's skin, a gentle contact. The raven-haired woman pulled back, pivoting on one heel as she marched toward the door.  
  
"You call that a goodbye kiss?" Despite CeCe's attempt at humor, her voice sounded somber.  
  
"No, it's the type of kiss that I give my girlfriend when I plan to see her again in less than seven hours." Melissa spared a backward glance at CeCe, winking mischievously as she stepped out of the motel room.  
  
Clutching the spare key-card in her hand tightly, the brunette understood the purpose of CeCe's sentimental gesture. The hidden meaning behind her girlfriend's generosity was clear, the blonde wanted some assurance that Melissa would come back to her.   
  
As the brown-eyed woman boarded her vehicle, she vowed to return as soon as possible. Melissa had no desire to leave CeCe alone, and if the dark-haired girl hurried, she might even be able to outrun the morning.

* * *

Intrusive sunbeams illuminated the motel room, seeping through the window and casting a light on CeCe's face. She grunted, burying her head into a pillow. It was a useless effort at shielding herself from the solar rays, CeCe opted for a different tactic.  
  
Flipping to the other side of the bed in order to evade the day's bright arrival, CeCe felt a warm body pressing against her. Eyes fluttering open, the blonde was greeted with the sight of a slumbering Melissa. Surprise written across CeCe's features, she just noticed that the dark-haired woman had an arm slung over her waist.

"Five more minutes." Melissa mumbled, snuggling closer to CeCe's small frame.  
  
"You came back." CeCe grinned, dragging a finger along the brunette's jawline, "And you're wearing pajamas that are covered with little spiders."  
  
"Wrong." Melissa smiled, her eyes slowly opening, "They're tiny palm trees."  
  
Upon a keener inspection, CeCe noticed that the minuscule figures on the blue fabric were stem trunks with long floppy leaves. The blonde giggled as she acknowledged that Melissa's top was indeed adorned with tiny palm trees.  
  
"I wasn't going to let you wake up alone." Melissa whispered huskily, "I packed as much luggage as my suitcase could carry, hopped into my car and sped all the way back here."  
  
Emotion constricted CeCe's throat, she was unable to formulate a coherent response to Melissa's declaration. The unmistakable devotion in her tone is what encouraged CeCe to kiss her. The blonde's hands travelled upward, leaning in to capture Melissa's lips.  
  
Seconds faded into minutes, later becaming hours. By the time that Melissa and CeCe crawled out of bed, they were forced to settle for consuming an early lunch, rather than an extremely late breakfast.

* * *

"How can you afford to stay at this motel?"  
  
Melissa's fresh round of questions were relatively harmless. The brunette knew how CeCe was easily frazzled by anything that seems like an interrogation.

“Well, it’s pretty much a dump, so it doesn't actually cost much.” CeCe joked, “But to answer your question, a great-aunt of mine, Carol, she left me some money. Other than her, no one else in my family even remembered that I existed. She died a little bit after Alison’s death, while I was stuck at the Radley Sanitarium.”

“I’m so sorry, Ce.” Melissa lamented her, “I shouldn’t have-”

“It’s okay.” CeCe shook her head, “I really want to try being completely honest, at least with you. Ask me something else.”

“How long have you been here?” Melissa continued.  
  
"About two weeks." CeCe replied, “I was going to try and visit you, but not while I looked so scruffy. Aunt Carol left me limited funds, my mother uses most of it to pay for an apartment that only my pointless roommate enjoys. I needed to-”

“CeCe, you would look unbearably beautiful even if you wore a pillowcase.” Melissa swooned, biting her lower lip as she batted her eyes suggestively.

“If you keep looking at me like that, I’m going to have to end this confessional early.” CeCe smirked.

“It’s not my fault that you're gorgeous!” Melissa giggled, “But yes, carry on with your point.”

“Anyways, back on topic. I was going to find you, I swear.” CeCe declared vehemently, "I needed to learn all that I could from Mona, and I wanted to leave before she snapped out of from her medicinal daze. I should have planned it better, but I was relying on the girl having something that I could use to bribe my mother, which Mona evidently did."  
  
Melissa took a sip of her latte. She was sitting at CeCe's coffee table while the blonde laid on the mattress. The smaller woman was propping the top half of her body up with her elbows, relaxed enough to answer all of Melissa's inquiries.   
  
"Now that you mention it, how are _you_ obtaining your medicine?" Melissa was playing dumb, she knew that CeCe wasn't partaking in any treatment.  
  
"I would need a prescription, which means using my identity, the one that is flagged as an institutionalized resident." CeCe rationalized calmly, "So I can't get medication without jeopardizing the lie that my mother made about me being transferred from the Radley Sanitarium to another facility"  
  
"Hm." Melissa pondered on her options, "I have a friend, a doctor, and he can get you some-"  
  
"Your ex-fiancé?" CeCe huffed as she sat up on the bed, "Mona told me about the doctor that kissed Spencer while being engage to you. Some friend."  
  
Her mouth had twisted into a scowl, breathing became labored. CeCe averted looking at her girlfriend's face. Hands clenching tightly, the blonde gritted her teeth.  
  
"How does it feel to downgrade from a handsome doctor to a mental patient?" CeCe snarled angrily.   
  
Taking two long strides toward the bed, Melissa was seated by her girlfriend's side in an instant, engulfing the blonde in a firm hug.   
  
"If you were Wren or Ian, I wouldn't care about you this much." Melissa admitted in a low voice, "I want you to take your medicine because I love you, CeCe."  
  
"I-I don't need it. I can quiet the noise." CeCe growled as she struggled against Melissa's embrace, "My medication has side-effects, it makes me d-drowsy and boring sometimes. You want a girlfriend, not a person that you have to constantly take care of."   
  
"I want you, Ce." Melissa stated plainly, "And all that entails. Let me do this for you, please."  
  
Melissa placed a gentle kiss on top of her girlfriend's head. Massaging the tension out of CeCe’s muscles, the brunette's light touch slowly moved up and down her arms, her palms felt the smaller woman's goosebumps. She was able to get CeCe’s breathing down from erratic to normal, but the distant look in her cerulean eyes remained. 

"Okay." CeCe agreed reluctantly, "If it means that you will stay with me."  
  
The blonde slumped against Melissa, nuzzling into the brunette's collarbone. CeCe's fingers drew circles on Melissa's chest, her nails delicately tracing patterns on the tanned skin. When her thumb grazed a familiar pendent hanging on taller woman's neck, CeCe pulled back from her girlfriend.  
  
"Y-You still have it?" CeCe fiddled with the trinket.  
  
"You just noticed?" Melissa smiled, "I have everything that you've ever given me. All these items were the only proof to me that you had even been real, since you have always refused to take a picture with me."

“I still have your horse-riding helmet, safely wrapped in a red scarf. One of the few things that I have in my duffel-bag.” CeCe gestured to the piece of luggage laying near the nightstand, “I’ve kept it hidden, ever since you gave it to me.”

“You know what is an easier memento to store?” Melissa poked CeCe’s stomach, “A photograph.”       
  
"It’s just that, my mother goes through my things." CeCe sighed, "She wouldn't approve of our friendship."    
  
"Our _friendship_?" Melissa quirked an eyebrow, amused at her girlfriend's uncharacteristically prudish behavior, "So I'm just your _friend_?"  
  
Face reddening, CeCe ducked her head in embarrassment. The blonde didn't know how to verbalize what she had with Melissa. Of course, it was more than a friendship, but it went far beyond a simple relationship. Melissa Hastings was everything to her.  
  
Her mother had always warned the golden-haired girl against trusting members of the Hastings family. Jessica claimed that they were awful people, selfish individuals who only cared about their own ambitions, longing to be the best. The older woman would never approve of what CeCe had with Melissa, she couldn't possibly fathom the idea.   
  
"You are the only thing that keeps me together, regardless of what my mother says about your family. You have always been the sole reason why I don't surrender to the noises." CeCe's eyes were glossy when she looked up at Melissa, "Promise that you won't leave me, e-even if I get bad?"  
  
"Oh, CeCe. I promise." Melissa swore grabbing CeCe’s tightly clasped hands, "You have me, always and forever."  
  
With a gentle tug, Melissa eased the blonde's fists open, alarmed when she realized that CeCe had drawn blood, her flesh was marked with the crescent engravings of her own nails.   
  
"I'm a mess, aren't I?" CeCe muttered sheepishly.  
  
"No, you just had a bad moment." Melissa reassured, "Let's get you cleaned up."  
  
Both girls hopped off from the bed, sauntering into the bathroom. Turning on the faucet, Melissa drizzled a bit of lukewarm water on CeCe's palms. With a napkin, the brunette dried each wound, applying pressure on each crimson slit. Wincing from pain, CeCe allowed the taller woman to sanitize her self-inflicted cuts without hesitation. CeCe trusted Melissa, even if the blonde had been nurtured under the notion that she wasn't supposed to.  
  
Star-crossed lovers, the title that had CeCe’s evaded mind when trying to describe her connection to Melissa Hastings. Two celestial bodies in orbit, aligned for brief intervals throughout their lifetime, unable to resist the force that gravitated them to one another.

* * *

Melissa Hastings was inquisitive by nature.  
  
Her parents encouraged her desire to obtain information, since the behavior is heavily associated with all aspects of intellectual development. Curiosity is a trait that transforms into ambition, the most valued quality in the Hastings household.  
  
In the course of three days, Melissa hadn't been able to retrieve all the answers that she wanted from CeCe. The blonde was even reluctant to reveal her legitimate name. She was afraid that Melissa would leave her once the mystery of "CeCe Drake" was solved.  
  
Nevertheless, the dark-haired woman had already slipped in a few inquiries and CeCe had agreed to consume her medication if Melissa was able to procure it.

Although he was a decent friend, Wren Kingston had been reluctant to comply with Melissa's request. Knowing that the young man had a soft spot for Spencer, the older brunette lied and said that the medication was for her little sister, to keep contained a borderline-personality disorder that needed to be kept a secret from Veronica and Peter Hastings.  
  
Wren relented and took a few hours out of his day to volunteer at the Radley Sanitarium. His feelings for Spencer were strong since he subscribed himself to a three-month commitment with the mental institute in order to steal a few bottles of pills from the medical storage room.   
  
Excusing himself for a minute, Wren walked out of the facility, the medication stuffed in a brown paper bag that masqueraded as the doctor's lunch container.  
  
From the distance, Melissa saw the British man exit the building and she maneuvered her vehicle close to him. She lowered the tainted windows of black sedan, nodding for him to approach.  
  
"Here you go, Melissa." Wren marched toward the black sedan, "I have to hurry back now. I've been assigned my first patient today, Mona Vanderwaal."  
  
"I understand." Melissa replied, "It wouldn't look good if the staff saw you talking to the older sister of one of Mona's victims."  
  
"Precisely." Wren confirmed, "Take care, Melissa. Keep me posted on Spencer's condition."  
  
"Will do." Melissa focused on her steering wheel, unable to look him in the eyes, "Thank you, Wren. You're a true friend."  
  
Without sparing a parting glance, the dark-haired woman waved at Wren before she drove off. It had taken her an entire day to acquire the medicine, Melissa couldn't to get back to CeCe, to return to the safety and bliss of their clandestine motel room.  
  
Melissa didn't know when it had become so easy for her to lie to everyone, but deception was an insignificant sin compared to the atrocities that the brunette was willing to commit for someone she loved. 

* * *

The skies were adorned with the orange hue of twilight. The sun was already retreating into the horizon, allowing the moon and the stars to shine during their nighttime shift. CeCe rested her head on the window glass, drifting in and out of sleep, waiting for Melissa to return.  
  
A soft knock on the door announced the brunette's arrival, leaving CeCe to wonder why Melissa hadn't just used her own key-card to enter. The golden-haired girl rushed to open the door, revealing an oddly nervous Melissa Hastings standing in front of her.  
  
"It took longer than I expected." Melissa stated, presenting CeCe with a bouquet of multi-colored roses.   
  
People over the ages have ascribed meaning to the color, variety, and number of roses being gifted. In her hand, Melissa held a gorgeous arrangement. Red, the unmistakable representation of passion and deep devotion. Orange, signifying intense desire, and fervor. White, the reminder of their innocent encounters as children, of the purity behind their feelings.   
  
"Passion, desire, purity, and..." CeCe titled her head in confusion as she noticed the lavender roses.  
  
"Love at first sight." Melissa finished CeCe's train of thought, smiling widely.  
  
Lavender, symbolizing enchantment, a magical sort of love that is impossible to explain. The most appropriate color to convey what CeCe meant to Melissa.  
  
"Melissa, I don't know what to say." CeCe's eyes glistened as she accepted the bouquet, holding it by the attached vase.  
  
"Then don't say anything at all." Melissa grinned as CeCe retreated toward the coffee table.  
  
Placing the roses on the wooden surface, CeCe wiped away her joyful tears, before spinning around to face Melissa. With a smirk, the blonde hooked her fingers along the thin straps of the summer dress she wore, flicking them off her shoulders.

By the time the fabric slid down her body and pooled at her feet, Melissa had already latched her hands on CeCe's bare waist. The smaller woman's arms coiled around her girlfriend's neck, tugging Melissa forward. Their lips collided, an unspoken indicator that the time for talking had long since passed.

* * *

Tangled up together in the bedsheets, a little sweaty from physical exertion, CeCe trace across her girlfriend's bare stomach. Her head rested on Melissa's shoulder while she marked imaginary lines with her fingertips, connecting the brunette's faint birthmarks.  
  
Melissa’s hand was tangled in the blonde’s curls, stroking the golden hair tendrils. Humming contently, the taller woman found it hard to recall that had been neglecting certain responsibilities, avoiding her family. Being with CeCe was always so natural, a sense of domesticity washed over them. Both girls had been living together for less than a weak, but it felt as though they were a happily married couple.    
  
"I've never been on a picnic." CeCe whispered spontaneously, a random confession that she wanted to share with Melissa.  
  
"Oh?" Melissa jested, "None of those pretty boys that you kissed at bars ever took you on a pinic?"  
  
"Jealousy isn't a nice shade on you." CeCe quipped, “As if I would want to do anything meaningful with someone who isn’t you.”  
  
Melissa shifted downward to facing the blonde, expression in a groggy, lovestruck daze. CeCe was so irresistibly cute, always craving a distraction. There were a lot more important matters to attend to, unresolved mysteries that threatened to disturb this fragile period of peace.

Leaning forward, her hands slid upward to cradle the blonde’s face. Melissa pressed a kiss to her girlfriend’s lips, enjoying their softness and pliability. CeCe smiled against the brunette's mouth. After a few minutes, Melissa pulled away.  
  
"Today looks great for a picnic." Melissa chimed, slipping out of the covers.

The brightness of CeCe’s smile almost blinded the brunette. She was bursting with enthusiasm, her mind racing. Every moment that she spent with Melissa felt surreal. It all appeared like a dream that hadn’t turned into a nightmare yet. A shroud of darkness coiled around CeCe’s heart, the judgmental voices resonating their concerns. The blonde remembered that she was still an escaped mental patient, and allowed negative thoughts to trample over her cheerful mood.    
  
"What if someone sees us?" CeCe rambled, "What if your mother calls again? What if-"  
  
"What if a bear eats us?" Melissa mocked, wrapping herself up with a bedsheet.  
  
CeCe giggled, launching a pillow at the brunette, who dodged it by gracefully ducking. Both girls were so carefree, intoxicated with the idea that nothing but the present mattered. After a lifetime of being caged in a room, CeCe deserved an experience outside with the wilderness, eating a rustic meal by the riverside. Melissa began mapping out the path in her head, deliberating on which forest had the best topography for a blanket.  
  
"Now, now, behave. I must hurry, so many errands that I need to complete." Melissa strutted toward the bathroom, "I have to arrange a picnic for my girlfriend by noon."  
  
"You're too much, Melissa Hastings."   
  
A dopey grin was plastered on CeCe's face as the brunette disappeared behind the bathroom door. With a yawn, the blue-eyed girl stretched her arms, gazing out the front window appreciatively. The sun was shining and the skies were clear. CeCe's heart fluttered, she was already getting too accustomed with being spoiled by Melissa Hastings.


	12. A Girl Concocts A Plan

Chapter 12

A Girl Concocts A Plan

* * *

 

Forests on the outskirts of Rosewood were desolate during the summer. Most people preferred to spend their free time near lakes and ponds. The isolated woods could be considered a private picnic ground, free from all interlopers. The wilderness became a sanctuary reserved for the people who wanted to remain hidden.  
  
Through the tall trees, Melissa walked hand in hand with her girlfriend, trudging toward a clearing. The scenery was decorated with flora, scattered petunias and lilacs adorned the sequestered ground. Warm breeze filled the atmosphere surrounding the two female hikers.   
  
As the wind blew on CeCe's dress, the staggering girl began to reconsider her choice in outfit. Melissa seemed perfectly comfortable in a pair of denim shorts and a sleeveless top, the most casual attire that CeCe had ever seen her wearing.  
  
Tripping on a fallen branch, the blonde almost tumbled down but Melissa fastened an arm securely around CeCe's waist. Hoisting her back up, Melissa refused to let go of CeCe until they reached the end of the trail.   
  
Arriving at the riverbank, Melissa spread her striped blanket on a flat patch of grass, determined to give her beloved girlfriend a wonderful experience. Offering a hand, the brunette helped CeCe settle herself onto the ground before flopping a large bag in the center of the cloth. 

"So much for a traditional picnic basket." CeCe quipped.  
  
"A picnic basket just didn't seem practical." Melissa proclaimed as sat next to CeCe.  
  
"Using a large Louboutin bag is not exactly ordinary." CeCe retorted playfully.  
  
The carrier was full of the provisions that Melissa had deemed necessary; Two vacuum flasks full of strawberry lemonade. A few sandwiches, fabricated with a flattened piece of cooked chicken, a couple of fried bacon strips, a leaf of lettuce, a slab of tomato, a smidgen of mayonnaise, piled between two slices of bread, divided into quarters, and packed into a plastic container. To finish off the meal, two coconut cupcakes, topped with buttercream frosting.  
  
Within minutes, Melissa had plied all the delicacies on top of two paper plates. CeCe would have aided her girlfriend but the dark-haired woman's graceful movements were hard to match. Producing a set of utensils, Melissa placed a fork and knife next to the blonde's sandwich quarters.  
  
"It's a _sandwich_ , Melissa." CeCe chuckled, choosing to manually grab one of her wedges.  
  
"Nothing but the best treatment for my girl, I needed to be prepared." Melissa grinned as she ignored the utensils and lifted her sandwich piece.  
  
Under the shade of the trees around them, the couple ate their meals ravenously. Something about the tranquility of the forest made the food taste richer, and the beverages appear sweeter.    
  
The steady flow of the river provided an entrancing melody, allowing Melissa and CeCe to enjoy the serene moment, savoring each other's presence with meaningless conversation and frivolous gossip. For an instant, both girls forgot that one of them was a fugitive and that the other was a willing accomplice.  
  
"I can't believe that we both dated our half-brother." CeCe laughed.  
  
"No!" Melissa almost choked on a chunk of bread, "I just kissed him. Once. You actually were his girlfriend."  
  
"I didn't do anything with him!" CeCe argued, "He kept taking me on dates and I just wanted to spend time with my brother."  
  
"I guess that I can sympathize with you." Melissa recalled, "The last contact that I had with Spencer consisted of an email."  
  
"She doesn't visit you often?" CeCe placed a comforting hand on Melissa's shoulder.  
  
"Spencer has only shown up two times at my loft in the past three years." Melissa lamented, "One time was to give me back the wedding band that I had misplaced, and the second time was to give me a baby shower present."  
  
With a sigh, CeCe squeezed her girlfriend's arm. Aquamarine irises glimmered with guilt. The blonde was struggling with some knowledge that she didn't know how to share with Melissa.  
  
"Mona told me that Spencer pawned it for some cash, to buy Toby a truck or something." CeCe disclosed solemnly, "Before Spencer could come back, Mona intercepted the transaction. She stole the ring. I guess that she gave it back to Spencer at some point."

"Really?" Melissa was disappointed, "Did Spencer impersonate Ian?"   
  
"No, that was all Mona. She also wrote Ian's suicide note, and planted his mobile phone in Spencer's purse." CeCe released her hold on Melissa's thigh, "I'm so sorry, Melissa."  
  
"It's not your fault, Ce." Melissa murmured, "Spencer and I used to be so close. I have no idea what happened between us."  
  
Her mouth distorting into a grimace, CeCe clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles went white. Melissa grabbed ahold of CeCe's hands, cradling them in her lap. She uncurled the blonde's fingers, a sense of relief swept over her. CeCe's palms bared no sign of a fresh wound, only the dark scabs from a previous incident.  
  
"Mona told me about the girls, how toxic their friendship is. Lucas had a couple of stories to share as well, he told me all about Alison and her posse of she-devils. Do you know that they are responsible for Jenna Marshall losing her eyesight?" CeCe sneered bitterly, "Someone hurt the girl that you buried, Melissa. We can't trust anyone, not even your sister. Mona created A in order to punish people for their malevolent secrets, to compel them into being honest."  
  
Melissa felt a sense of dread. Her girlfriend was too invested in the concept of A, dangerously obsessed with Mona's tales. Melissa could tell that CeCe was wary of Spencer and Alison’s other friends, her immense hatred for them was slowly gaining momentum.  
  
"I wish that we could just stay here forever. Me and you, lost in the forest." CeCe spoke in a tender voice, "We are the only two people who matter. The rest of Rosewood can burn to the ground."  
  
Mercurial as CeCe's moods were, her previous rage had faded. Sunbeams reflected onto the blue-eyed woman's golden hair, creating the illusion of a halo. All around her was the beauty of nature, a setting that fitted CeCe entirely.    
  
Rosewood, a place that was infuriatingly fraudulent, where everything that seemed congenial was merely a charade for selfish acts of cruelty, and poisonous secrets. It affected CeCe, the malignant force surrounding that town.  
  
As Melissa took a sip of her drink, she thought about convincing CeCe to dispose of everything in Mona's storage unit. There was no need to keep such condemning evidence around. Alison, Spencer, and their friends shouldn't trouble her thoughts any longer. CeCe needed to focus on improving her condition, recuperating the parts of her that the Radley Sanitarium had decayed the blonde's mind.

A droplet of strawberry lemonade hung from the corner of Melissa's mouth. Ignoring the stack of napkins near her feet, CeCe lunged forward, capturing her girlfriend's lips. After her tongue had wiped off the fruit beverage, CeCe began to lean back, placing a hand on Melissa's knee, running her palm along the smooth skin of the brunette's thigh as she pulled away.  
  
"You had something on your mouth." CeCe smirked, leaving Melissa in a daze.  
  
A bold opening move, CeCe had opted for being white, initiating a sensual game of chess. A predatory grin appeared on Melissa's face, her two dark irises narrowed down on an opponent; black had always suited the raven-haired woman.  
  
In a swift motion, Melissa flipped on top of the blonde. She crawled the length of CeCe's body, pressing her to the blanket with a gentle hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. Check. Melissa had pinned down CeCe.  
  
The mischievous glint in CeCe's azure eyes indicated that she had been conspiring for events to unfold in such a fashion. Arms wrapped around Melissa's neck and tugged gently. The taller woman descended, meeting with the blonde's mouth. Checkmate. Melissa melted into CeCe's soft lips, accepting defeat graciously.  
  
The embrace deepened as CeCe trailed her arms up the dark-haired girl's back, one hand combed into an unruly mane of ebony curls while the other slithered beneath Melissa's camisole top. The brunette snaked her fingers along CeCe's thigh until her nails grazed the hemline of the shorter woman's dress. Melissa had reached the point of no return, and when the blonde moaned against her ear, she knew that neither of them had any intention of turning back.

* * *

When the sun disappeared from the sky, the unwinding road became dark and foreboding. A soft humming sound resonated throughout the black sedan, tires glided across the pavement.  
  
Head resting against Melissa's shoulder, CeCe was almost asleep in the passenger's seat, eyelids feeling heavy. The blonde tried to stifle a yawn. It was barely seven in the afternoon, a healthy young woman shouldn't feel tired.  
  
That was the issue though, CeCe _was_ sick, and she was always going to be a burden to Melissa. Her medication had this effect, it quieted the noise by entirely shutting the tormented girl's brain down.   
  
Perceiving CeCe's inner turmoil, one of Melissa’s hands came off the steering wheel. Fingers were tangled into her girlfriend's curls, threading through the wavy hair strands.  
  
"The medicine does this to me. It makes me boring and useless." CeCe mumbled.  
  
Placing a tender kiss on CeCe's head, the brunette slowed the vehicle down as they reached the Two Crows diner. Shifting the car into park, Melissa continued massaging the groggy woman's scalp.  
  
"Do you want me to get you something and we can just go directly home?" Melissa whispered softly.  
  
"H-Home?"   
  
The word was muttered as if it were a sacred prayer, and perhaps for CeCe is was. Overwhelmed with sympathy for her girlfriend, Melissa reached out for the blonde's hand, cradling in her own palm.  
  
"Our motel room." Melissa clarified, "It's a home to me."  
  
"O-Oh? I'm not hungry." CeCe murmured as she lifted her head to gaze at Melissa, "Let's go home."  
  
With a nod, Melissa pulled the automobile out of the parking lot, and began driving in the direction of CeCe's motel. Cruising along the familiar path, the brunette turned toward her girlfriend.  
  
A genuine smile had appeared on CeCe's face. She leaned in and pecked the raven-haired woman's cheek, in that light feathery way that made Melissa wonder what admirable feat she had done in her life to deserve the adoration of such an angelic being.

* * *

A buzzing sound reverberated through the motel room, disturbing the inhabitants who were a tangled mess of limbs laying in a bed. With a grunting noise, Melissa reached for her mobile phone on the nightstand, glancing at the screen before retreating back under the duvet bedding. She laid on her back, refusing to face the morning.

Groaning gently, CeCe welcomed her girlfriend's reinstatement into the confines of the silky sheets by swinging an arm over the brunette's stomach. She tucked her head under Melissa's chin, nuzzling into the taller woman's soft body.  
  
"Who was it?" CeCe grumbled.  
  
"My mother." Melissa replied before yawning, "She wanted to have lunch today."  
  
"Oh."  
  
A quietude swept over the room, as Melissa stared at the ceiling, CeCe's warmth breath tickled her collarbone. Melissa had to remind herself that the blonde was a grown woman, she going to be fine on her own for a few hours. The problem was that the dark-haired girl didn't want to leave CeCe alone for a second, let alone a large portion of the day.  
  
"You have to go." CeCe answered Melissa's unspoken question, "I'd give anything to have lunch with my mother."  
  
The brunette turned on her side, brushing her nose against CeCe's cheek. Snaking an arm around the smaller girl's waist, Melissa venerated how the love of her life was able to look so impeccable at dawn.  
  
"I'm sorry." Melissa sighed.  
  
"Don't be silly." CeCe giggled, "It's not your fault that you have a parent who loves you and an actual life. I'll think of something to do in the meantime. I should rent a car."  
  
"Are you even old enough to rent a car?" Melissa ran her hand up and down the indent of CeCe's spine, caressing each ridge, "You're so tiny."  
  
"I'm older than you!" CeCe claimed, "Do you even know my birthday?"  
  
Gliding her hand upward, the raven-haired woman trailed her fingers along CeCe's jawline. Tracing the contours of her girlfriend's face, Melissa wanted to know everything about the gorgeous woman in front of her.  
  
"You have never told me." Melissa murmured, "Tell me now, and I'll remember forever."  
  
"The twenty-first of May." CeCe was mesmerized by a pair of soulful brown eyes, "I-I'm a Gemini. The first day of Gemini. The zodiac sign, as in, the astrological s-symbols."  
  
Gemini, also known as The Twins, those born under this zodiac sign are characterized by their versatility, humor, and intelligence. Most are clever, adaptable and lively individuals who love being the center of attention. With a streak of darkness, Gemini can be devious with the people around them, afraid of being alone, and susceptible to inconsistent behavior.  
  
A blush reddened CeCe's cheeks. Her pointless ramblings were embarrassing, a product of the blonde's lonely childhood, with only textbooks and novels to keep her company at the Radley Sanitarium.  
  
"I'm sorry, you probably don't care-"  
  
"I was born on the twenty-third of November." Melissa interjected sagely, her thumb grazing CeCe's bottom lip, "The first day of Sagittarius."  
  
Sagittarius, also known as The Archer, those born under this zodiac sign are characterized by their optimism, generosity, and confidence. Most are accepting, outspoken, and intuitive individuals who enjoy being free. An unpredictable flame, Sagittarius can be argumentative, impulsive when making decisions, and prone to reckless behavior.  
  
"The Archer." CeCe leaned into Melissa's touch, "Gemini and Sagittarius are opposite signs, soulmates. We take the term star-crossed to new heights."  
  
Sagittarius and Gemini, compatibility will involve a wondrous quest, a learning adventure, a journey towards the truth. Both zodiac signs are positive, enthusiastic, and extroverted, with bright minds and a keen thirst for knowledge. Fire and air, both Sagittarius and Gemini can engulf all of those around them in a wave of destruction, unwilling to relent until their passion is liberated from any chains that dare to bind them.  
  
As Melissa and CeCe laid on the mattress, curled up toward one another, the brunette dragging her fingers over the smaller girl's arm in a soothing motion. The world slowed down, just the sound of their breathing fill the motel room. CeCe gazing into her eyes, Melissa is unnerved. Those cerulean irises stared at her intently, expecting the dark-haired woman to fix all of their problems.

Melissa closed the distance between them, capturing CeCe’s lips with her mouth. One hand was cupping the blonde's jaw as Melissa kissed her with all the love that she could muster on any given occasion, with everything that she had.  
  
When the brunette drew back, CeCe's eyes fluttered open, as if Melissa's affection had tamed the beast lurking inside her, if only for a little while.  
  
"Do you want me to give you a ride somewhere?" Melissa offered, placing a small peck on CeCe's forehead.  
  
"Can you drop me off at Mona's storage unit?" CeCe asked, "I sort of want to go through her things."  
  
"Sure."   
  
For a long time, Melissa never forgave herself for complying with CeCe's seemingly harmless request. 

* * *

Veronica Hastings was not a perceptive person.  
  
The woman was compassionate, understanding, and supportive, but she lacked insight. If she were more observant, maybe the successful attorney would have realized that Peter Hastings was incapable of being the husband that she deserved.   
  
When Melissa had confessed that she had faked a pregnancy out of misguided grief, the older woman had accepted the response. The dark-haired girl was her eldest daughter and there was nothing that Veronica wouldn't do to protect her.  
  
Ever since Mona Vanderwaal had been revealed as a secretly masked tormentor, and Garrett Reynolds was arrested for the homicide of Alison DiLaurentis, the brunette woman thought that her family would be spared from any further involvement with that murder case.  
  
Considering Melissa's fleeting relationship with Garrett, the attentive mother wanted to be updated on the investigation, and she had enough connections within the police department to obtain a steady inflow of information. Veronica would do anything to acquire some peace of mind.  
  
When she invited Melissa to lunch, part of her wanted to ask the brunette about the events that had transpired between her and Alison. Her maternal side overpowered her rationality, and she was thoroughly enjoying the casual conversation between mother and daughter.  
  
In a luxurious restaurant at Philadelphia, both women poked at their overly expensive salad dish while sipping the best wine on the menu. Melissa discussed a few fictitious academic achievements, and Veronica was oblivious to the fact that her daughter was not attending any summer courses.  
  
"Do you think that Garrett Reynolds murdered Alison?" Veronica found herself asking before the check arrived.  
  
"Probably. Who knows." Melissa lied without batting an eyelash.  
  
"This hasn't made the papers, but the prosecution has petitioned to have the body exhumed." Veronica said, "The judge hasn't made a ruling yet. Since Garrett stole a piece of the autopsy report and it fell into Jenna Marshall's hands, the legal system demands a new forensic analysis should be made."  
  
"Oh?" Melissa replied calmly.  
  
Inspirational, how easy it was for Melissa to remain composed in light of recent events. If the body of the deceased blonde was inspected once more, evidence that led to Melissa could be uncovered. She no longer had Garrett's comradeship, the young man would say anything to avoid being condemned for murder.  
  
Veronica Hastings didn't see the frightful glint in her daughter's eyes. She paid for the meal and kissed Melissa's cheek before taking her leave, heading back to Rosewood with a calmer state of mind. Full of good intentions, Veronica would never notice how many tiny fractures her family had until it was far too late to stop them from shattering.

* * *

Melissa was apprehensive about leaving her Mercedes-Benz sedan in the eerie parking lot. The brunette girl had drove to a clandestine apartment building located in a boorish neighborhood.   
  
Instead of throwing everything in Mona's storage unit away, CeCe had spent most of the morning moving all the items to another location. Hiring movers and renting a room at a building complex, CeCe had probably depleted most of her great-aunt's inheritance on this pointless endeavor.  
  
CeCe sent her girlfriend a message with the address, begging Melissa to trust her. The blonde claimed that she had established a new lair for an important purpose. Melissa didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, since CeCe had promised that her plan would resolve the dilemma surrounding the corpse exhumation.    
  
"Are you sure that this is a good idea?" Melissa was tentatively trailing behind the blonde.  
  
"Trust me, I'll explain once we get here." CeCe led Melissa into the building.   
  
The golden-haired woman knew where she was going. She had rented the "2A" apartment room, CeCe valued the irony.  
  
"Room 2A? Seriously?" Melissa commented judgmentally as CeCe stopped in front of the apartment and began unlocking the door.  
  
"It gets better." CeCe opened the door cautiously, revealing the chamber's alarming interior contents.  
  
"Wow. Can this place look more like the house of a generic serial killer?" Melissa laughed as she entered the room.  
  
The walls of the single-room loft were completely wallpapered with photographs. Some images were of Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer, but most were of Alison. Newspaper clippings were draped on the windows, file cabinets rested on each corner of the apartment.    
  
There were five creepily designed dolls, roughly modeled after Alison, Spencer, and their friends, resting inside a rustic replica of the DiLaurentis house. Each doll was equipped with matching accessories, Alison wore a yellow shirt, Spencer held a tiny magnifying glass in her hand, Hanna carried shopping bags, Emily was a skin tone too dark, and Aria appeared to be Asian for some unprecedented reason.   
  
Several sets of black hoodies were placed on hangers, organized in an opened closet. Costumes and masks were piled on the shelves of a bookshelf, and a laptop computer laid on an office desk at the center of the room.  
  
"Oh, and there are some sketches of that Black Swan costume here." CeCe pointed to the aforementioned photographs of Melissa on the wall.  
  
"Shouldn't you have deleted them a long time ago?" Melissa inquired, "You know, in case the authorities find this apartment?"  
  
"I've been bored out of my mind for two weeks. All I could do was think about you, your face, and the outline of your body..." CeCe blushed, "So unforgettable. I needed some inspirational material to fantasize with."  
  
Melissa smiled. She reached out and grabbed CeCe's hand. The brunette intertwined their fingers together before leaning in and softly kissing CeCe on the cheek. She was glad the shorter girl hadn't forgotten about her.  
  
"Alright, so what is this master plan." Melissa sat on a chair, yelping when it rocked backward. She grumbled under her breath, "Mona watched the film _Psycho_ one too many times."  
  
"Well, we can pretend that it's a romantic hammock." CeCe grinned, climbing on top of Melissa.  
  
"Baby, these photographs of underage girls everywhere are effectively killing the mood." Melissa quipped, adjusting the blonde onto her lap.  
  
"Are you sure?" CeCe winked.  
  
A spark of lust glimmered in two sapphire eyes. CeCe straddled the Melissa's waist, her hands gripping the taller woman's shoulders for support. Diving down, CeCe began slowly peppering the brunette's neck with kisses, satisfied with the whimpers that she was eliciting from Melissa.  
  
"CeCe, focus for minute." Melissa gently pushed CeCe back, "What's the plan?"  
  
A flustered CeCe was never fun to deal with. The blonde pouted, biting her lower lip. She was clearly disappointed that Melissa had halted her sexual advances.

"Well, the last time that I saw her, Mona wanted to continue being A. She thought that I was Alison, but she probably knows I was someone else by now." CeCe spoke fast, wanting to resume her exploration of Melissa's skin, "Mona isn't ready to end the A-Game, if I pretend to join the A-Team, I can sway her into committing crimes with a purpose, such as stealing Alison's corpse before it's exhumed."  
  
"Wait, what?" Melissa was worried, "Do you understand how serious of an infraction that is?"  
  
"Of course, that's why I need to convince Mona to do it." CeCe explained nonchalantly, "I left a hoodie and a mobile phone in Mona's storage unit, for her to find. She needs to understand that I'm in charge of the A-Team, but if she is caught, to the rest of the world, Mona would appear to be working alone. I'll make sure that the A-Lair has no trace of our involvement."  
  
"Adding an "A" in front of every word doesn't make it a thing." Melissa arched an eyebrow.  
  
"What if there is a hyphen?"  
  
"You are being ridiculous."   
  
"I'm insulted." CeCe feigned indignation, clasping a hand to her chest theatrically, "I guess that you aren't "A" material."  
  
The raven-haired woman's hands slid onto CeCe's waist, keeping her girlfriend balanced. Melissa giggled softly, reeling the blonde closer to her chest.  
  
It was an ingenious plan, to becoming the ghost that haunted the puppet master. Mona could think that she's working alongside a partner, when the young girl would in fact be doing all of CeCe's crimes for her. In spite of how insane the proposal sounded, Melissa had to admire the intellect behind it.   
  
"I can ask Wren to watch Mona for us, so we always know where she is." Melissa suggested, "To avoid running into her in this place."  
  
"No." CeCe stated firmly, "You can't get involved. I'll talk to Wren myself."  
  
"He's not going to trust you." Melissa reasoned, "At least let me think of some story."  
  
"Oh, he's just started working at the Radley Sanitarium, right?" CeCe was concocting an idea, "So, Wren doesn't know that I was a patient there. You can call him, say that some old classmate of yours, CeCe Drake, wants to visit Mona, and I'll take it from there."  
  
"Why would CeCe Drake want to visit Mona Vanderwaal?" Melissa was having a hard time organizing a consistent narrative.  
  
"Mona's whole sob story is about how Alison's bullying drove her crazy." CeCe attested, "I will state that Alison got me expelled from the University of Pennsylvania. My visits would be purely therapeutic; I'd want to aide in Mona's healing process. If anything goes wrong, Wren would think that you were innocent, just an acquaintance of CeCe Drake."  
  
A sigh escaped Melissa's lips. Her hand held a loose golden curl, toying it between her thumb and index finger. Tucking the stray hair behind the blonde's ear, Melissa's palm cupped her girlfriend's cheek.  
  
"Y-You don't like my plan?" CeCe muttered.  
  
It was a defense mechanism that melted Melissa's heart. The blonde would revert to a childlike state when confronted with criticism.   
  
"Why does this entire scheme value my safety over yours?" Melissa voiced her concerns.  
  
"Because Melissa Hastings is a person. CeCe Drake is an illusion." CeCe answered, "I'll keep you safe, that's my number one priority."

"But who do I keep safe?" Melissa murmured, "If you aren't CeCe Drake, who are you?"

"I'm yours."  
  
Without preamble, CeCe's fingers tangled themselves into a fistful of raven curls, closing the space between them. When their lips met, the brunette forgot how to breath. The feeling of CeCe's body pressed against her was intoxicating. Melissa wrapped one arm around the blonde's waist, while her other hand trailed down the nape of the smaller girl's neck. CeCe ran her tongue along Melissa's bottom lip, effectively avoiding any further discussion.


	13. A Girl In A Red Coat

Chapter 13

A Girl In A Red Coat

* * *

 

Wren Kingston was a simple man.  
  
It only took a few words to convince the British doctor that CeCe was an old friend of Melissa Hastings, someone who had taken interest in Mona's condition. Wren didn't ask many questions, agreeing to meet the young woman at the front desk on a Monday afternoon. He offered to personally provide CeCe with a visitation pass and escort her to Mona's room.  Melissa just thanked him, leaving the rest of the fabricated tale to be dramatized by CeCe Drake, the raven-haired woman's favorite actress.  
  
Although the task was straightforward, CeCe insisted that she needed a particular wardrobe, one that would remind Mona of Alison. According to CeCe, the young fiend had only confided in her because the blonde's resemblance to the youngest DiLaurentis child was uncanny. Mona spoke of her exploits as A as if she were speaking to Alison, unaware of CeCe's presence.   
  
Melissa chose to trust her girlfriend’s request. After all, CeCe had demonstrated that she had the foresight to purchase a cheap vehicle in order to transport the corpse. She had found an abandoned building with a cellar were the human remains could be kept. CeCe had even prepared acquired refrigerator to store the cadaver. It was better to maintain the dead body in a location that Mona didn't know about. There was always a purpose behind the blonde's actions.  
  
The drive to Brookhaven was short, but the search of a specific article of clothing was never-ending. Melissa didn't even know what to look for. CeCe kept darting in and out of boutiques without sparing a second glance. Her cerulean eyes could easily assess if the shop had the item that she was looking for.  
  
From her vague comments, Melissa could derive that CeCe was seeking a trench coat of some kind. It wasn't until they entered a department store at the outskirts of Brookhaven that the brunette was briefed by CeCe on the purpose of their foraging expedition. Rummaging through the clothing racks, the golden-haired girl retrieved a red coat.   
  
"Red?"  
  
Melissa's sanctimonious comment was to be expected. In terms of camouflage, red was not an efficient color for a disguise. CeCe was supposed to be trying to go into the Radley Sanitarium without being recognized by the staff.   
  
"How do I look?" CeCe tried on the red coat, flicking her curls out from beneath the collar.  
  
"Like you are going to draw the attention of everyone at the mental facility, and possibly of some bulls in Spain." Melissa shook her head in disapproval.  
  
Twirling around in the crimson fabric, CeCe laughed, amused by her girlfriend's grumblings. The blonde gazed at Melissa as she looked herself over in the mirror.   
  
“Only the board of directors at the Radley Sanitarium know that I exist. Jessica told everyone else that Charles DiLaurentis died when he was sixteen, I have a fake death certificate, an autopsy report, and even a tombstone at Aunt Carol's estate." CeCe explained as she removed the coat, "The only nurse who knows that I exist is Eddie Lamb, so I just have to convince Wren that he's an ex-lover, one who I'm trying to avoid. Men love a damsel in distress, Wren is likely to become my knight.”   
  
"I keep hating this plan more and more." Melissa's eyes darkened with jealousy.

"Knights, rooks, pawns." CeCe smiled lovingly at Melissa, "My queen is the only piece that matters."

"Charmed." Melissa sighed, "But why a red coat?"  
  
From in between her cleavage, CeCe pulled out a photograph. She handed it over to Melissa. The image depicted Alison disguised with a black wig and wearing a red coat, the same exact kind that CeCe was holding in her arms.   
  
"Alison asked Eric Kahn to make her a fake identification card with that appearance, an alter-ego that she named Vivian Darkbloom." CeCe walked toward the hangers, selecting a few more red coats, "Mona must have seen her in that disguise, because I was wearing a red bathrobe when she mistook me for Alison."  
  
"I'm still processing the fact that you were keeping this picture in the middle of your two breasts." Melissa grinned.  
  
"You don't have a monopoly on my breasts." CeCe winked at a flabbergasted Melissa, "Oh, your face matches my coat!"  
  
Cheeks reddening, Melissa tried to compose herself as CeCe strutted toward the register. With a form-fitting strapless dress, each movement from her girlfriend was a purposeful attempt at flustering the brunette. The intended response was obtained as Melissa failed to prevent the blush from spreading across her face.

* * *

Department stores usually have long lines at the counter, which is why they designate some space for casual waiting areas. Melissa felt like a complacent husband as she rested on a lounge chair. 

With her peripheral vision, Melissa spotted a gorgeous black baby grand piano near the exit of the establishment. Striding toward it, she sat on the bench.   
  
Running her fingers over the keys, Melissa was lost in a memory from her childhood, back when she and Spencer attempted to play symphonies together. It had been a simpler time, the jovial companionship among sisters, the promise that nothing would ever tear them apart.  
  
"You're magnificent."  
  
CeCe approached the raven-haired woman from behind. Setting the shopping bags on the floor, she joined her girlfriend on the piano bench.  
  
"I don't play so much anymore." Melissa said wistfully, "My sister and I used to play four-handed pieces, but that was a long time ago."  
  
Sensing the hurt in her girlfriend's voice, CeCe leaned forward, inches away from the taller woman's face. When brown irises sparkled with interest, the blonde closed the gap between them. Kissing Melissa tenderly, CeCe placed her hand on the brunette's neck.  
  
"I'll play you something." CeCe offered as she pulled back from Melissa's lips.  
  
With a nod, Melissa watched as CeCe turned toward the piano. The blue-eyed girl hesitating for a few seconds before she started to play on the keyboard.  
  
Melissa found the tune slightly familiar, but it wasn't until CeCe began to recite the lyrics that she recognized the song, _Walkin' After Midnight_ by Patsy Kline.  
  
"I go out walking, after midnight, out in the moonlight, just like we used to do." CeCe's voice sounded angelic, "I'm always walking, after midnight, searching for you."  
  
The brunette smiled warmly, she couldn't help but fall in love with CeCe all over again. It was majestic, how easily the golden-haired girl handled the keys, gracefully pressing each note.  
  
"I walk for miles, along the highway. Well, that's just my way, of saying I love you. I'm always walking, after midnight, searching for you." CeCe's singing resonated perfectly, "I stop to see a weeping willow, crying on his pillow, maybe he's crying for me, and as the skies turn gloomy, night winds whisper to me, I'm lonesome as I can be."  
  
The brunette placed a hand on CeCe's thigh, gently caressing her girlfriend, and encouraging her to continue singing.  
  
"I go out walking, after midnight, out in the starlight, just hoping you may be, somewhere walking, after midnight, searching for me." CeCe's voice sounded more melancholic during this part of the chorus.  
  
Cutting the song short, CeCe ended the piano melody. Melissa's heart dropped. The brunette had been affected by the lyrical content of the tune. There was just something about the song that was too relatable.  
  
"You sing like an angel, CeCe. That was the most enchanting performance I've ever witnessed." Melissa whispered.  
  
"Thank you." CeCe grinned.  
  
"Who taught you how to play?" Melissa rose from the piano bench, extending a hand to lift CeCe up with her.  
  
"Another patient, a nice lady..." CeCe seemed to have lost herself in a painful memory.  
  
The manner in which CeCe's statement trailed off indicated that she didn't want to discuss the topic any further. Melissa respected the blonde's wishes.

After grabbing the shopping bags, Melissa hooked an arm with her girlfriend. Acting like a domesticated husband didn't bother the dark-haired woman as long as CeCe Drake played the role of her enchanting wife.

* * *

A scheme is a large-scale systematic arrangement for attaining some particular object or putting a particular event into effect. With that definition in mind, CeCe's plan had been a success. She had gone to the Radley Sanitarium, wearing a red coat, gained Wren's trust, and convinced Mona to steal the corpse that laid in Alison's grave.

Mona Vanderwaal was a genius. The young girl had invented a concept that combined every form of psychological torture known to mankind. Inspired by how Alison DiLaurentis had harassed her throughout their youth, Mona seemed to have formed an unhealthy obsession with imitating the blonde. When CeCe visited her, she was still hindered by hallucinatory medication, calling the golden-haired woman by the nickname of "Red Coat."   
  
Addicted to playing with people's lives, Mona agreed to the terms that Red Coat had established, under the premise that the silent partner wanted to torment Spencer and her friends. Mona was unaware that Red Coat had a hidden agenda. She just assumed that the mystery figure wanted to promote chaos. Mona recounted her plan to Red Coat, on how the cadaver would be stolen, and one Alison's friends would be blamed. It was brilliant.  
  
Most intelligent people are plagued by curiosity, and Mona was no exception. CeCe knew that the idea of Red Coat would intrigue the young brunette. Mona was going to want answers, to unveil the identity of her associate. CeCe had to be three or four steps ahead if she wanted to win the game.  
  
After leaving the Radley Sanitarium, CeCe couldn't wait to return back to the motel room. She laid down in the bed with her head on Melissa’s lap, excited about becoming the new A, brimming with enthusiasm over her elaborate plot.  
  
"Tomorrow is the day. You told me that Spencer and her friends will be at the Hastings household, right? Well, Mona is going to place melizopam in one of their drinks, and take the girl to the cemetery. I swayed Mona to pick Emily." CeCe recited the plan with too much enthusiasm, "When she's there at the graveyard, you are going to sneak into your home, and use Spencer's mobile phone to call Emily. Then you will come back here. I didn't want you to risk yourself by doing anything, but I can't find my way around the Hastings estate as quickly as you can. I'll be at the graveyard to retrieve the body that Mona dug out. After dropping it at the A-Lair, I'll return here."  
  
The brunette's fingers raked through CeCe’s hair, absentmindedly pondering the plan, searching for flaws.  
  
"What would stop Spencer and the others from going to the police and telling them that about a new A?" Melissa noted.  
  
"Oh! You're right, Mel." CeCe gasped softly, “I'll need to take some photographs of them. There's a really good camera in the A-Lair."  
  
"Remember to wear a mask, Ce." Melissa leaned down to kiss the blonde briefly.  
  
"O-Okay." CeCe mumbled, "I promise to protect you, Mel."  
  
Cerulean eyes fluttered shut, CeCe purred under her girlfriend’s touch. Melissa continued to massage the blonde's scalp, luring her to sleep. Humming a gentle tune, Melissa swore to always be CeCe’s safe haven.

* * *

People are unpredictable.   
  
No one could have guessed that Emily Fields was going to roam the streets of Rosewood like a zombie after Mona drugged her flask. She stumbled around the streets, in a drunken stupor.  
  
After Emily stopped at a diner in the center of town for a few minutes, she almost got plowed down by a blue Ford Mustang automobile that Jenna Marshall was driving. The blonde could have sworn she saw a dark-haired man in the passenger's seat, next to the green-eyed brunette, but she wasn't sure. It was intriguing that the former blind girl could now see, but CeCe would leave that issue for another day, Emily's erratic behavior had unfortunately delayed the entire plan by a few hours.  
  
Sneaking into her own house undetected was effortless; Melissa had a key and knew the layout of the building by heart. Maneuvering with stealth, she was able to spot Spencer's mobile phone on a table, making the proposed call to Emily's own device. Melissa headed back to their motel room, hoping that CeCe would be able to adapt to the retardation.  
  
A few minutes after midnight, Mona finally managed to herd Emily to the cemetery, placing her near Alison's open crypt. The shorter brunette dragged the corpse to where Red Coat stood, and wandered off after a nod from the ominous figure.   
  
Flopping the cadaver into the trunk of her five-hundred dollar automobile, CeCe waited from behind the bushes for Emily's friends to arrive. The rush of adrenaline was addicting. CeCe felt as if she had a purpose in life, that the blonde was able to control something; even if it was just a handful of teenagers.

Snapping a few photographs of Spencer and the other girls, CeCe left the graveyard. She had to take the corpse to a refrigerator that had been prepared beforehand. It was already so late. The golden-haired woman had dirt smeared on her clothing, sweat building from the physical exertion.  
  
"I'm almost home." CeCe spoke to herself.  
  
Her eyes were heavy and the voices were louder than ever, murmuring awful phrases into the blonde's ear. CeCe had refrained from consuming her medication, she required an energetic mind in order to accomplish her goals. Driving out of the town, CeCe wanted to see Melissa, longing to be near the only person who could settle the storm within her.

* * *

It was past three in the morning when CeCe walked through the door of the motel suite. She didn't expect Melissa to be awake, but two arms enveloped her within seconds of stepping into the room. CeCe snuggled close to Melissa’s chest, placing sloppy kisses across her collarbone.   
  
They stayed like that for a little while, holding onto each other in the quiet of the darkened chamber, before Melissa decided it was time for them to move. She slid out of CeCe’s embrace, opting to rest one hand on the blonde's lower back.  
  
CeCe raised her head, scanning the brunette's eyes for the reason behind the sudden movement. Melissa reached over to smooth back the golden-haired woman’s messy locks.  
  
“Let's get you clean up.” Melissa whispered, leading them toward the bathroom.  
  
A bathtub full of water and bubbles had been readied. Melissa began disrobing her girlfriend, removing every article of clothing with care. The taller woman guided CeCe to the bathroom, assisting her into the steaming water.   
  
"I'm s-sorry." CeCe muttered, "I'm so sorry, Mel."  
  
CeCe didn't even know why she was apologizing to Melissa, but the swelling in the blonde's heart reminded her that the dark-haired girl deserved better than having to take care of an unstable person in the middle of the night. Melissa was meant for greater prospects than abetting a criminal.  
  
"It's okay, Ce." Melissa murmured as she caressed the blonde's forehead, "I love you."  
  
A simple reply, a noble reasoning, Melissa _loved_ her. The brunette’s words did nothing to alleviate the guilt that gnawed against CeCe’s conscience, but the golden-haired woman decided to accept Melissa’s unconditional affection for the time being.  
  
With her eyes closed, CeCe sunk into the bath, growing calm as the heated water to soothed all the dull aches on her body. As she relaxed, the blonde started dozing off, refreshed by the sensation of all the warmth surrounding her.   
  
Melissa knelt beside the porcelain container, one arm cradling CeCe’s head and the other hand pressing a washcloth against the groggy woman's knee. With light brushes, Melissa scrubbed all the grime and sweat off from every inch of her girlfriend's body. After a few minutes, the brunette shifted to unplug the bathtub, letting the water disappear through the drain. It was time for bed.  
  
“Can you swing your arm over my shoulder?” Melissa requested, "I'll take care of all the rest."  
  
Mumbling an incoherent response, CeCe draped her arm around the taller woman's neck, allowing Melissa to scoop her up. Eyes shut from exhaustion, CeCe felt a fluffy cotton swiping against her skin, likely a towel. Falling in and out of consciousness, the blonde could only catch glimpses of Melissa dressing her in a pair of sweatpants and a casual shirt.  
  
Ensuring that all the moisture had been eradicated from CeCe's body, the brunette laid the blonde in between the bedsheets. Melissa slipped into the mattress, wrapping her arms around the smaller woman's waist. CeCe curled against her girlfriend's chest, smiling like a child when the brunette placed a comforting kiss on her cheek. Face buried in a mane of raven hair, CeCe fell asleep soundly. Melissa’s loving presence always managed to silence the noises rustling inside her head.

* * *

The memories from last night flooded into CeCe’s mind, wearing a mask of Alison's face, interacting with Mona, dragging a corpse into a refrigerator at an obscure basement.  
  
Patting across the mattress, CeCe noticed that she was alone in bed. Melissa was gone, the voices inside the blonde's head whispered, starting to conspire. A tireless mantra echoed through her thoughts, Melissa got tired and left.  
  
"Good morning, Ce."  
  
Emerging from the bathroom, Melissa greeted her girlfriend with a wide grin, unaware of the inner turmoil between two forces waging war for ownership of the blonde's soul.   
  
"There's a stack of fresh pancakes over there waiting for you." Melissa pointed at the package sitting on the coffee table.  
  
Her dark hair was still damp from her shower, and she was wrapped in a towel. Melissa flounced on top of the bed, turning on the television with the remote control device.   
  
"It's all over the news, the theft of Alison's body." Melissa updated CeCe on the events that had unfolded while she slept, "My mother called me, glad to hear that I had spent the night in Philadelphia and that Spencer had been with her friends at the Hastings lakehouse. She is blissfully unaware that both of her daughters are blatantly lying to her face."  
  
"You have a lakehouse?" CeCe had selective listening, "And you've never taken me there?"  
  
Succumbing to a fit of giggles, Melissa's laughter was infectious. CeCe glowed with the knowledge that she had brought some fleeting moment of joy to her girlfriend's morning.  
  
"You're such a fool." Melissa laid back near CeCe, resting her head on the blonde's lap, "My mother wants to have dinner this evening. I'll think of some excuse-"  
  
"No, you have to pretend that everything is fine." CeCe interrupted, threading her fingers through Melissa’s hair.  
  
"But it isn't. CeCe, she thinks that I'm upset over a child that died a long time ago and about the death of a husband who I never loved." Melissa sighed, "I keep getting unknown calls from the local penitentiary. It must be Garrett, he knows or at least suspects me."  
  
"Calm down." CeCe cooed, trailing a finger down Melissa's jawline, "I won't let anything happen to you."  
  
"My heroine." Melissa smiled up at CeCe, "What are your plans for today?"  
  
"I was thinking of printing the pictures that I took of the girls in the graveyard and placing them in Spencer's room." CeCe shared.  
  
"I have the spare set of keys to her suburban utility vehicle." Melissa offered, "It would be safer for you to creep into a parked car. Sneaking inside my house would be taking the risk that my father sees you. He knows too much about you."  
  
"Thanks, my duckling." CeCe beamed, feeling relieved that Melissa was always on her side.   
  
A compelling urge to kiss Melissa took over the blonde. Giving her a cleansing bath in the middle of the night, arranging a thoughtful dish in the early morning, Melissa's generosity and compassion knew no bounds. Leaning forward, CeCe cupped her girlfriend's cheek.

Melissa turned her head and met the hovering woman halfway. When their lips collided together, it became obvious that CeCe’s breakfast meal was going to be ignored for at least a couple of hours.


	14. A Girl Returns

Chapter 14

A Girl Returns

* * *

 

A few glasses of white wine drowned out all the meaningless chatter in the epicurean restaurant. Veronica was thrilled with the fact that Spencer and her friends were at the Hastings lakehouse when the cadaver of Alison DiLaurentis was unearthed. It seemed rather pathetic that the older woman found delight in her daughters both having an alibi instead of trusting them to be sincere.  
  
As Melissa kept pouring alcohol down her throat, she couldn't blame Veronica for not having much faith in her family, each member was guilty of a crime or two.  
  
"Spencer sends her love." Veronica commented, "You should really drop by the house tomorrow, and-"  
  
"I have an interview in Washington tomorrow." Melissa blurted out, "I'll be busy."  
  
It was a random lie, but Melissa couldn't face her little sister yet. She wouldn't be able to look into Spencer's brown eyes and pretend not to know the answers to all of her questions.  
  
"Oh, well. That's excellent news, Melissa." Veronica responded warmly, "You and Spencer are exactly the same, both so driven and hardworking."  
  
With a polite nod and a plastered smile, Melissa placed the glass near her lips, gulping down the beverage as if it were lemonade instead of wine. The raven-haired woman was already struggling to maintain her facade.   
  
Veronica kept discussing the repercussions of stealing a corpse, which was a nerve-wrecking ordeal for Melissa. The brunette spent every waking moment worrying about CeCe; she didn't need a detailed description of what would happen to her girlfriend.  
  
A vibration from Veronica's mobile phone interrupted the meal. The older woman ate the final bite of a chocolate tart, and pushed her seat back. Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she stood up abruptly.  
  
"Oh, honey." Veronica appeared apologetic, "Spencer and the other girls are being called down to the police station for questioning."  
  
"Is everything alright?" Melissa feigned ignorance.  
  
"Yes, of course." Veronica scrambled through her purse, "Let me just pay the check."  
  
"No, I got it covered." Melissa waved her hand dismissively, "I'll see you soon."  
  
"Good luck on your interview." Veronica gave her daughter a smile before rushing out of the ostentatious establishment.  
  
Calling the waiter, Melissa ordered a bottle of red wine to take with her, remembering which kind was CeCe's favorite. She refused to drink alone for the rest of the night.

* * *

"I accepted a call from Garrett."  
  
Staring absentmindedly at the ceiling, Melissa laid with her back on the mattress, watching the blades of the fan rotate slowly. It was still hot, a rare occurrence for the first night of September in Pennsylvania.  
  
CeCe rested on her elbow, watching Melissa's chest rise and fall. Draping an arm around brunette's stomach, her sapphire eyes slowly gazed up at the Melissa's face.  
  
"What did he say?" CeCe whispered.  
  
"He always knew that I wasn't pregnant." Melissa explained, "He wants my mother as his lawyer. Simply put, if Garrett goes to jail, he'll try to incriminate me as well."  
  
"I'll take care of it." CeCe smiled, reaching up to tuck a piece of raven hair behind Melissa’s ear, "I found mementos that were buried with the corpse in Alison's grave. Whether the body belongs to Bethany or my sister, Spencer and her friends can be used as puppets with the right amount of leverage."  
  
"So you'll be A, like Mona?" Melissa lifted her head, glancing down at CeCe with concern.  
  
"Better than Mona. It's going to be fine, like chess. The girls would be my pieces, and I'll take care of them every step of the way." CeCe declared, "I promise, I'm going to fix everything, okay? Spencer and her friends are the key to finding out who hit Bethany, that's the person the authorities want, not you."  
  
"Are you sure about this?" Melissa's hand cupped CeCe's chin, forcing the blonde to look at her, "I need to know that you are in control?"  
  
"Y-Yes. I am." CeCe's resolve faltered under Melissa's scrutiny, "I'll keep you safe."

Melissa relented, pulling CeCe's bare body against her own in a tight embrace, inhaling the shorter woman’s unique coconut scent. She knew that CeCe had good intentions, but the most horrendous acts of malice could be done accidentally.  
  
"I need a witty phrase to introduce myself to the girls as the new A." CeCe attempted to lighten mood.  
  
"Roses are red, violets are blue, if you go to the cops, I will kill you, A?" Melissa conceded a grin.  
  
Cuddling into the brunette's chest, CeCe giggled softly. Her fingers traced circles across Melissa’s abdomen, massaging each muscle, conveying her love with each tender touch.  
  
Enjoying the sound of her girlfriend's gentle laughter, Melissa held a hand down her face in exhaustion, yawning after the long events of the day. The blue-eyed woman was swaddled up comfortably in her arms, devoted to a task that seemed to complex to end triumphantly. Melissa accepted that loving CeCe Drake would most likely result in her demise, the cause of death that a coroner would write down on her autopsy report. The tragic part was that didn't Melissa care.

* * *

The remnants of the Lost Woods Resort were inhospitable, a building covered with dust and filled with cobwebs. It was too beautiful of a day to spend it lurking in the bushes, but CeCe couldn't let such a grandiose opportunity go to waste.  
  
The golden-haired woman watched as Spencer and her friends rummaged the room where Mona used to store all the tools that she needed to wear the mantle of A. Flipping the hood of her jacket over her head, CeCe used the car keys that Melissa had provided for her to open Spencer's suburban utility vehicle.   
  
Placing a ton of photographs that depicted Alison's friends at the graveyard all over the car seats, CeCe almost left until she overheard a particular conversation. Inside of Mona's old base of operations, someone was making an unnerving presumption.  
  
"There are things that don't really add up, like Mona was with you when A gave Emily that massage." A voice that sounded like Melissa's cried out, "And there's no way that she could have gotten Ian's body out of the bell tower by herself."  
  
Taking a brief glance through the window, CeCe discovered that Spencer was the one speaking. Her tone was similar to Melissa's own, but with a lower octane.  
  
"Wait." The shortest girl added, "You're saying that you think someone was helping her?"   
  
"If the Black Swan wasn't guilty of something, why would she run from you guys?" Spencer retorted.   
  
Hearing Melissa's own little sister be so suspicious of the Black Swan disturbed CeCe more than it should. Activating the alarm of Spencer's luxurious form of transportation, the blonde snuck behind the trees as the four girls came running outside.  
  
"Mona played with dolls. I play with body parts. Game on, bitches. - A."  
  
Initiating the first message, it was the start of a personal vendetta. After all that Melissa had done for her beloved sibling, the younger brunette would never reciprocate the older girl's feelings.   
  
Spencer and friends were responsible for all the bullying that her dear friend, Lucas Gottesman, had endured in school. Jenna Marshall had lost her eyesight because of their actions. Mona Vanderwaal knew the truth. Their crimes had escalated to an unforgivable level. Melissa's one chance at a normal life had been shattered. She had lost a child, a husband, and her innocence, three things that CeCe could never replenish. Melissa Hastings was the tether that had kept the blonde holding on, an anchor that no one would be permitted to jeopardize.

* * *

Artisanal handicraft refers to a variety of work where useful and decorative objects are made completely by using only simple tools. It traditionally applies to a wide range of creative and design activities. Using teeth and beads to make a necklace was a rather unorthodox form of manual artistry.   
  
In the basement of an abandoned building, a raven-haired woman wearing surgical gloves was sitting at a table, a pair of pliers and strands of cord rested on the surface.

Melissa had finished closing the string with a clasp as CeCe entered the cellar, carrying a bag of limes and a bottle of vodka. The blonde wore her black hoodie, clearly surprised that Melissa was participating in a scheme. She sat next to the taller girl, confused by the purpose of Melissa's project. It was the last day before the brunette had to resume her education at the University of Pennsylvania, and CeCe didn't want to waste the remainder of their time trapped in an underground room.  
  
"I don't see why this is necessary. We have those trinkets that Alison's friends buried with the corpse." CeCe poured vodka into a glass, garnishing the beverage with a slice of lime, "Here you go, Mel."  
  
"Thanks, Ce." Melissa took a sip of the drink that had been procured for her, "Have you've been reading Alison's journals?"   
  
"Yes, and I've figure out what item was placed by which girl, as some sentimental tribute. The earrings are from Aria, the Ouija board marker is from Hanna, and the postcards are from Emily. Spencer doesn't seem to have placed anything inside." CeCe replied, admiring the craftsmanship of the necklace, "I'll rattle Aria with the earrings first. The cheap little things are a nostalgic reminder of the time that she and Alison ransacked Mr. Montgomery's office. He was having an affair with Meredith Sorenson, who according to the Rosewood High School staff roster, is going to start working there this week. Alison made it seem as though the earrings belonged to Meredith to stir up some chaos. My devious sibling was blackmailing him."   
  
"According to Garrett, your sister met with Mr. Montgomery on the night that multiple blonde girls were slain." Melissa noted, "So, it's safe to assume that he is a suspect."  
  
"And so is Aria. She has a violent streak." CeCe added, failing to sense the irony behind her appraisal of Aria's temperament, "But you avoided my first question. Why are you making jewelry out of a cadaver's dentures?"  
  
The brunette removed her latex gloves, throwing them in a plastic bag that would be securely disposed of in the near future. Paranoia was a valuable trait for a successful criminal. With a sigh, Melissa pushed back from her chair.  
  
"When Mona planted a bloodstained trophy for the girls to find, Spencer and her friends went directly to the authorities. Technicians determined that the blood belonged to a rodent." Melissa explained, "If the girls take this to the police department, the forensic analysts will figure out who we have in our freezer, Alison or Bethany."  
  
"You're a genius." CeCe grinned.  
  
"Dead girls can't smile." Melissa read the inscription on the necklace aloud, "It's hardly poetry, more like the babbling of a drunken pirate, but it will have to do. Especially since you threatened to use body parts."  
  
"The girls sort of annoyed me, talking about the Black Swan as if she were an evil minion!" CeCe huffed, crossing her arms, "It was rude."   
  
"I'd to think of myself as a mischievous associate." Melissa smirked, "But I should get rid of that costume."  
  
Hopping from off her seat, CeCe sat astride the brunette's lap. Hands gripping Melissa's shoulders, CeCe leaned closer to the taller woman's frame. With a chuckle, Melissa snaked her arms around the blonde's waist, anticipating what was about to transpire between them.  
  
"I can buy you a black hoodie; they are so easy to remove." CeCe purred into Melissa's ear, "You just have to pull the zipper down..."  
  
"Like this?" Melissa murmured seductively.   
  
The dark-haired woman tugged down the metallic band on CeCe's jacket, until it became unclasped at the bottom. Dipping into her girlfriend's neck, Melissa peppered the skin with wet kisses.   
  
A thud could be heard throughout the subterranean room as the black hoodie flopped onto the ground. CeCe's hands cupped the brunette's jaw, smashing their lips together roughly. When Melissa glided her fingers underneath CeCe's shirt and discovered that the smaller woman wasn't wearing a brassiere, she smiled against her girlfriend's mouth, determined to make the last day of their summer vacation unforgettable.

* * *

The first rays of dawn begin filtering into the motel room through the crack in the curtains. CeCe began to stir, grumbling against the pillow as she flipped onto her side. The golden-haired woman brushed a ghost of a kiss over Melissa's forehead, waiting for the brunette to awaken.  
  
"Good morning, Mel." CeCe greeted the fluttering auburn irises with a grin.  
  
"Ugh." Melissa groaned.  
  
Coiling an arm around the blonde's waist, Melissa snuggled into her girlfriend's body. She refused to face the morning. It would be a sin to detach herself from CeCe's embrace, her ivory skin was too warm and soft.   
  
"Come on, you have to pack up all your things." CeCe mumbled, pressing her lips onto Melissa's ebony curls.  
  
Certain measures had to be implemented to erase all of Melissa's suspicious behavior. It was time for them to leave the motel room, the elderly man who owned the establishment would have memorized their faces if he wasn't so disoriented. CeCe was running out of cash, and Melissa's credit cards would leave a traceable record.  
  
Melissa agreed to return to her loft in Philadelphia, while CeCe could squat at the Hastings lakehouse for a few weeks until she found a rentable apartment. Both young women would have to be apart for a brief time, especially since Spencer and her friends were trying to uncover the identity of the Black Swan.  
  
A visit to the local prison had appeased Garrett Reynolds for a while. The former policeman had already posted Marc Pope as an expert witness in his trial, an indirect warning to Melissa. A threat that the brunette understood, Marc Pope was the private investigator that Melissa's parents had hired to follow their oldest daughter after Alison went missing.   
  
Melissa promised to help him evade incarceration, in exchange for his silence. He had to refrain from sharing any information with Spencer, and his reward would be having Veronica Hastings for a defense attorney. Melissa was partially honest with her mother, confessing that Garrett knew about her fake pregnancy. The older woman felt she owed her daughter, considering that Marc Pope was a loose end that she and her husband had created.  
  
Garrett had also reminded the couple that there existed a video file that contained images of Melissa in Alison's room, footage that had fallen in the hands of Spencer and her associates. Hanna Marin's devoted boyfriend, Caleb Rivers, was a savant when it came to technology, and he was likely the guardian of any encrypted recordings.  
  
A lovestruck Romeo, the raven-haired woman had reluctantly accepted the terms of separation. She would burn the billing statements from her credit card, hiding the nature of Melissa's many expenses this summer, erasing every trail that could lead back to CeCe Drake. Sleeping alone in her own bed would be impossible. Missing the levity that CeCe's company provided her with, Melissa wasn't sure how she could go back to living without the blonde.   
  
The situation was more problematic for Juliet, the golden-haired woman relied on Melissa to keep her inner demons quieted down. CeCe was already outraged at the fact that Spencer was organizing a witch-hunt against the Black Swan, and only Melissa's presence had been able to calm her down. The blonde vowed to be strong, her girlfriend needed to finish her master of business administration degree. CeCe couldn't interfere with everything that Melissa has been striving to achieve.  
  
"I don't know how I'm going to sleep without you, Mel." CeCe admitted, her index finger traced along Melissa's jawline.  
  
"Let's make the best of this moment." Melissa winked suggestively, shifting closer to CeCe.  
  
"You have classes at nine in the morning." CeCe giggled, "You're insatiable."  
  
"I am? What about you?" Melissa retorted, "You have initiated sexual escapades on top of the sunbathing chairs by my swimming pool, in the middle of the forest, on the couch at the Hastings barnhouse-

" _Sexual escapades_ , really?" CeCe snickered at the term.  
  
"At that apartment with all the pictures of our little sisters plastered over the wall."  
  
"I definitely wasn't looking at them!"  
  
"Next to the freezer with an unidentified corpse."  
  
"You weren't complaining then." CeCe scoffed.  
  
"Why would I complain?" Melissa whispered lovingly.  
  
All good-humored quips ceased when Melissa gazed into the golden-haired woman's cerulean eyes. The brunette lowered herself down to CeCe's face, causing their noses to gently brush against each other. Melissa lunged forward, closing the distance between them. She captured her girlfriend's lips roughly, passionately trying to engrave the memory of her kiss onto the blonde's mouth. Melissa was fully committed to relishing her final hours of freedom alongside CeCe Drake.

* * *

Studies suggest that moderate wine consumption can have some benefits, such as improving a person's cardiac system, lowering the risk of cataracts, and promoting longevity. Considering how much heartache she was suffering from, Melissa assumed a few glasses of wine each throughout the day was a healthy lifestyle choice.

Hosting an unofficial family meeting, Veronica wanted to notify Spencer about her decision to become Garrett's new lawyer. The knowledge of Melissa's fake pregnancy was the leverage that the young man had used to obtain Veronica's legal assistance, a secret that the older needed to protect, even from Spencer. She had to prevent a conflict between her daughters from starting.  
  
Melissa had been drinking since she arrived at the Hastings household. In front of the fireplace, she burned all the billing statements, receipts, every document that could connect her to CeCe Drake. It was infuriating, to watch flames engulfing the slips of paper that recorded glimpses of her love for the blonde.  
  
Sweeping the ashes onto a pan, Melissa had disposed the unrecognizable remains of her rustic memoirs inside a trashcan.   
  
With the sudden opening of the backdoor, Spencer walked into the room. Both girls were unwilling to look one another in the eyes, hidden guilty and shame. Melissa and Spencer were too similar for their own good.  
  
"Hey." Spencer addressed her sister, "Sorry, I'm late."  
  
"Not a problem." Melissa replied without emotion, "Mom's not here yet. Dad called."  
  
Grabbing one of her textbooks, Melissa curled up on the couch in the living room. She thought that her nonchalant tone might discourage Spencer from continuing the conversation, but Melissa forgot how stubborn her sister could be.  
  
"How was Washington?" Spencer asked.  
  
"Muggy." Melissa remembered how humid and warm CeCe's motel suite had been.   
  
"You okay?" Spencer stared intently at Melissa.  
  
"Tired." Melissa wasn't lying.   
  
"But you had a good time?" Spencer persisted.  
  
"Relatively." Melissa flipped through the pages of her textbook, trying to end this meaningless chat with her sister.  
  
Conceding defeat, Spencer almost left the living room until she heard the front door open. Veronica had arrived with a revelation that was guaranteed to upset the young brunette.  
  
"Mom." Melissa greeted.  
  
"Hi, honey. Spencer, I need to talk to you. Both of you. This is gonna become public knowledge soon, but I wanted you to hear it from me first." Veronica's voice was laced with conviction, "We've discussed this at the firm, and I've decided to defend Garrett Reynolds."   
  
"Why?" A frown was plastered on Spencer's face.  
  
"I spoke to his mother." Veronica tried to appeal to Spencer's empathetic side, "I know what it's like to have a child accused of something they didn't do."

"The police have evidence." Spencer stated through a clenched jaw.  
  
"Maybe they do." Veronica held her ground, "I'd like to see what it is."  
  
"So you're doing this out of curiosity?" Spencer suspected that her mother was hiding something.  
  
"I'm doing this because everyone deserves a strong defense." Veronica didn't falter.  
  
"Mom, he has a lawyer." Spencer whined.  
  
"I know his public defender." Veronica explained calmly, "Hector is competent to handle you for disturbing the peace, but he's out of his league with this. He couldn't even get a change of venue."   
  
"Okay, then have somebody else do it." Spencer was unrelenting, "There must be a hundred other lawyers who can."  
  
"I'm sure there are. I don't know any that would take the case pro bono." Veronica's admission startled her youngest daughter.   
  
"You're doing this for free?" Spencer was outraged.  
  
"That's very generous of you." Melissa chimed.  
  
"Okay, so you talked to his parents." Spencer recapped, "Have you spoken with Garrett?"  
  
"Yes." Veronica responded, "I found his story to be credible.   
  
"What story is that?" Spencer yelled.  
  
"All I can say is that. He convinced me of his lack of guilt as pertains to the charges." Veronica was being honest, Garrett had created the doubt within the woman's head in regards to Melissa's own innocence.  
  
"Mom..." Spencer whimpered, "What are you doing? Okay? This is the man who killed my best friend. He killed the girl that Emily was in love with."   
  
A part of Melissa wanted to point out that both of Spencer's descriptions applied to Alison DiLaurentis, but the raven-haired woman refrained herself from sharing unsolicited insight about Emily's romantic endeavors.  
  
" _Accused_ of killing them." Veronica clarified.  
  
"Will you say something?" Spencer turned toward Melissa.  
  
"What do you want me to say?" Melissa glared at her impetuous sibling.  
  
"This does involve you." Spencer was right.  
  
"Any interest I had in any of this ended three months ago." Melissa growled.  
  
Nostrils flaring, teeth gritted, Melissa was still the master of intimidation. She had effectively ended the discussion. As Spencer retreated to her bedroom, Veronica and Melissa shared a knowing glance, before the older woman left for her office.  
  
For a few hours, the dark-haired girl stayed resting on the couch, skimming through the pages of her textbook and failing to retain anything that she read.  
Melissa opted for drinking another glass of white wine, a coping mechanism that she had inherited from Peter. Chugging down alcohol was easier than confronting your problems.  
  
Footsteps behind Melissa alerted her to the arrival of an unyielding rival. She had forgotten how tenacious Spencer could be. Her smaller sister's looming shadow could be felt from a distance away.  
  
"When you tell mom, be accurate." Melissa didn't bother looking at Spencer, "This is my second, not including lunch."  
  
"That's none of my business." Spencer proclaimed softly.  
  
"That is correct." Melissa quipped.  
  
"I do want to ask you something, though. How do you really feel about mom defending Garrett?" Spencer was obsessed with this murder investigation.  
  
"How I feel?" It was irritating to hear Spencer talk like a therapist, "I'm completely indifferent."  
  
"Yeah, I don't really buy that. I think that somehow you convinced her to do it." Spencer's perception was outstanding.  
  
"Why would I do that?" Melissa's facade was impeccable.  
  
"I don't know." Spencer admitted, "But I know that you and he got awfully tight just before he was arrested."  
  
"You have a lurid imagination." Melissa couldn't stand to hear about her fleeting affair with Garrett while Spencer and her friends were hindering her current relationship with CeCe.  
  
"My imagination is nothing compared to the facts, Melissa." Spencer snarled, "You were on that video in Ali's bedroom, and when he walked out of that bedroom, he killed someone."  
  
CeCe had been unerring; Spencer still had the footage that showed Melissa in Alison's house on the night that the young blonde was murdered. It was all a chess game, one risky match that the raven-haired woman was losing.

"Will you just stop? For once in your life stop trying to be the smartest person in the room." Melissa needed to see if Spencer had a trace of sympathy left, "Climb out of Spencer World long enough to see. Some people have lost everything, everything."  
  
"Melissa..." Spencer murmured, "When you called back in June from the hospital, when you... When you were there, I asked mom if I could come up and see you. I did, and she said no."  
  
"I didn't want to see anybody else. I woke up in that room a hundred miles from here..." Melissa longed to be back on a creaky mattress with a familiar body pressed against her, "And I knew something was wrong. I just wanted mom."  
  
"I'm sorry you lost your baby." Spencer offered a hollow apology.  
  
"You know, I hope she does get him off." Melissa snapped, "Guilty or not."  
  
"Why?" Spencer inquired.  
  
"Because of all the men I've had to deal with, he is the only one who's always told me the truth." Melissa answered, "I figured it out too late, but I figured it out."  
  
Melissa stormed out of the house, leaving Spencer to ponder on her words. Garrett Reynolds had disclosed everything that he had witnessed on that night. Spencer was still lying, she continued keeping secrets and conspiring against Melissa. Their father was no different; Peter preferred to allow his wife to mend all the broken damage.  
  
The brunette headed toward the Hastings barnhouse, she wondered how her girlfriend was handling their temporary division. As Melissa's mouth pressed against the wine glass, she wished that her lips were back on top of CeCe's skin. With a sigh, she combed a hand through her raven curls, hoping that the golden-haired woman was keeping her mind preoccupied in a healthy manner.


	15. A Girl Acquires A Hobby

Chapter 15

A Girl Acquires A Hobby

* * *

 

A hobby is a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during a person's leisure time. Hobbies can include collecting objects, engaging in artistic pursuits, playing sports, or pursuing other amusements. By continually participating in a particular enterprise, one can acquire substantial skill and knowledge in that are helpful in life. Some people consider hobbies to be therapeutic, that embarking in such endeavors has a calming effect on an individual's psyche.  
  
Becoming A was probably not what psychological experts had in mind when advising their patients to acquire a hobby, but it did help CeCe's mind. She was more focused and aware of her surroundings than ever before. The blue-eyed girl had purchased a few more hoodies, some tools at a hardware store. Her funds were almost depleted, but she had to commit entirely to the cause in order to prevent Melissa's crime from being uncovered.  
  
CeCe had spent most of the week observing each of the four girls. Aria's reaction to finding one of earrings that she had placed in Alison's casket had been intriguing, almost as if she was shielding Byron Montgomery.  
  
"Daddy needs to know. Or I let the other one go. To the police. Night, night. - A"   
  
An order from A, that Aria promptly obeyed. She was so lucky, to have parents who stood by her no matter what. The small brunette was feisty and difficult to predict.   
  
CeCe had also slipped the teeth necklace into Emily's purse, but from she could infer, none of the girls had turned in the macabre piece of jewelry to the authorities.   
  
It was highly suspicious. One of Alison's friends was hiding something; CeCe had to figure out which of the girls was keeping a relevant secret. She needed to consult with Melissa, if her girlfriend remembered anything else that Garrett had said about the night that two blonde girls died in the same place.  
  
Caleb Rivers was another problem.  
  
The brown-haired boy had been snooping around the Radley Sanitarium, asking Mona a bunch of questions. Wren had informed CeCe that Hanna Marin was visiting the former stalker under the alias of _Hanna Rivers_. A twinge of jealousy stroke CeCe's chest, Hanna and Caleb were a couple that irritated her on a personal level.   
  
To be young and romantic, free to express affection for one another, but instead of enjoying each other's company, they were wasting time at mental asylums, chasing after ghosts. Hanna and Caleb were so fortunate, she had a mother who loved her and he had a mother in California that gave him endless amount of money. CeCe didn't have any of those luxuries.   
  
CeCe kept drinking vodka sodas, a low-calorie beverage that reminded her of Melissa's health obsession. It was a pitiful way of trying to cope with her girlfriend’s momentary absence. She still hadn’t found a vacant apartment in Rosewood. In the meantime, the blonde resorted to laying on a scruffy couch that she had dragged down to the abandoned basement. An empty glass in her hand, CeCe drifted off to sleep, ignoring the voices that refused to be quiet until she retaliated against someone.  
  
A humming sound began to silence the noise that infected her mind. Instead of a lumpy cushion, her head rested on a soft fabric. Fingers were threading through her golden hair. CeCe's eyes slowly opened, her vision started focusing on the unmistakable outline of Melissa's face.  
  
"M-Mel?" CeCe whimpered, shifting against Melissa's lap, "You shouldn't be here, what if you leave fingerprints or another type of evidence at this place? You have to wear a jacket and gloves at all times when you-"  
  
"Hush." Melissa interjected softly, "I needed to see you."  
  
The raven-haired woman smiled. With one hand, she gently caressed her girlfriend's skin. CeCe leaned into Melissa's palm, clinging to the warmth that she provided. The blonde in the black hoodie and the brunette wearing an argyle skirt, what an unstoppable pair.  
  
"Do you need anything? Money?" Melissa offered.  
  
"No, I have enough for a ticket to Montecito." CeCe stated.  
  
Melissa's heart dropped. The thought of CeCe leaving to California was too much for her to bear. She was lost in a daze for a minute until her girlfriend elaborated on the announcement.  
  
"And I have enough for the return ticket." CeCe continued, "I might need a little bit of money for some provisions though."  
  
"G-Good." Melissa dispelled her inner panic, "Because I brought a thousand dollars in cash."

"That's way too much-"  
  
"Not for the Hastings." Melissa quipped bitterly, "What we lack for in love, we make up for in money. Why do you need to go to Montecito?"  
  
Coiling her fingers around the hand that was brushing her cheek, the blonde pressed her lips against Melissa's palm.   
  
"I love you." CeCe whispered.  
  
"Hm." Melissa giggled, "You're a master when it comes to the art of avoidance."  
  
"A wealthy and distant family member lives there." Her answer was almost completely truthful, "I'll be back in two days, I promise."  
  
"I'll accept that vague response, for now." Melissa never pushed when it came to CeCe, "Can I grab one of those untraceable mobile phones?"  
  
"Of course. Help yourself." CeCe nodded, "You're the other half of A's soul."  
  
Reaching into a duffel bag that laid on the floor, the brunette pulled out one of Mona's modified mobile phones. After she stuffed the device inside her handbag, Melissa bowed down and kissed CeCe's forehead.  
  
"Are you taking your medication?" Melissa was hesitant to ask.  
  
"Yes, I am." CeCe blatantly lied.  
  
"Perfect." Melissa grinned, "I have a few minutes before I need to head back home, but at least now I can call you and you can call me, safely."  
  
Melissa repositioned herself on the couch, settling down beside CeCe. She latched an arm over the blonde's waist, curling around CeCe's small frame. The sweet scent of coconut lingered in the blue-eyed girl's body. The hooded jacket that CeCe was wearing may help camouflage her appearance, but it did nothing to cloak the young woman's peculiar fragrance.   
  
As CeCe laid on her girlfriend's chest, guilt muttered condescending phrases into her ear. The blonde knew that she couldn't consume her pills. The medicine drained CeCe's energy, rendering her useless to Melissa.   
  
The circumstances were evolving, the stakes were getting higher. Caleb had provoked a heated argument with Mona during his most recent visit, Wren had informed her that the young girl was being monitored for a relapse, no guests were allowed.   
  
With footage that could be used as evidence against her girlfriend stored in someone's device, CeCe had to rely on Mona's laptop computer to track it down. The small brunette had programs capable of infiltrating even the Radley Sanitarium database; CeCe could revoke the ban on visitors, but she needed to get rid of Caleb. The blonde required more minions; it wasn't safe to communicate directly with Mona anymore. Her newly purchased black hoodies suddenly seemed like a good investment.

* * *

A typical crowded evening at the local coffee shop, The Brew, a place that was always buzzing with customers. Every member of the Hastings family was addicted to caffeine, the one vice that all of them shared. Veronica and Melissa stood in line, chatting about frivolous gossip.  
  
Seated by a nearby table, Spencer and her friends recapitulate their theories on who the Black Swan was. It was a topic that the interlopers could not deviate from.  
  
"Guys, all roads lead back to the Black Swan." Spencer announced, as if she were bestowing profound words of wisdom upon her comrades, "We know that she was working with Mona, the sketches were in her lair."  
  
If only Spencer knew half as much as she thought. Melissa had never been working with Mona Vanderwaal, but her little sister had decided that the Black Swan was an ominous figure, the masked villain of their heroic tale.  
  
"Spencer, mom wants to know if you want anything else." Melissa interrupted Spencer's nonsensical ramblings.  
  
"Uh, no. Thank you, mom." Spencer replied.  
  
Melissa often understood how Mona had managed to fool Spencer and her friends so easily. A person didn’t need to be a professional spy in order to overhear their conversations. The aforementioned girls were discussing the possibility of Melissa being the Black Swan while the subject of their debacle stood only a few feet away from them.   
  
"Melissa looks great."   
  
A pathetic attempt at discretion, Emily complimented Melissa's figure. Alison would die again if she saw how the dark-haired girl was leering at Spencer's older sister. Truth be told, CeCe would run over Emily with a truck as a grand gesture of romance. As sinister as it was, the thought made Melissa smile to herself.  
  
"Yeah, she's back to being size too skinny. Black Swan skinny? Think about it."

Hanna's idea of whispering consisted of yelling across the table at Spencer with a raspy tone. Aria didn't seem to contribute much to the conversation, which made her the most suspicious one among Alison’s friends. Melissa rolled her eyes; she could not even get through a simple night at the local café without being persecuted for some presumptive misdeed.  
  
"Did you really think you could avoid me forever?"  
  
A deep voice boomed from behind Veronica and Melissa. Both women spun around, startled to find Jason DiLaurentis standing in front of them. A scowl decorated his otherwise handsome features.  
  
"How could you defend Garrett?" Jason roared.  
  
"Let's not have this conversation here." Veronica tried to calm him down.  
  
"Oh, it doesn't bother you that he murdered my sister?" Jason scowled.  
  
"Look, I understand you're upset, but this isn't the place." Veronica kept her composure.   
  
"Just tell me why you're doing it." Jason demanded.  
  
"Everyone deserves a competent legal defense." Veronica stated firmly.  
  
"You sure that's the only reason?" Jason's emerald irises narrowed down in Melissa's direction.  
  
"Let the process play out, Jason." Veronica reasoned, "Focus on taking care of your family and yourself."  
  
"Don't worry. I am." Jason sneered.  
  
With a huff, the light-haired man stomped out of the establishment, after humiliating Veronica in front of all the patrons. Melissa felt sympathy for her mother, the poor woman was just trying to enjoy a cup of coffee and a baguette, and she didn't deserve Jason's misplaced fury.  
  
As expected, Spencer's disloyalty had no limits. She and her posse rushed out the door, following Jason like a herd of sad orphans. Disillusioned with her sister, Melissa approached the window, eavesdropping on Spencer's conversation with Jason.  
  
"Jason? Are you okay?" Spencer asked the green-eyed man, concerned about him.   
  
Not willing to spare Spencer a glance, Jason posted a sign on a pole. He was offering fifty thousand dollars for anyone who had information on the whereabouts of Alison's corpse.  
  
"No. But I will be." Jason marched off, leaving a flustered Spencer behind.   
  
Cowering behind the dark-haired girl, Aria, Hanna, and Emily turned to Spencer for guidance. A jingle rang out from their mobile phones, alerting them of a new message.  
  
"Imagine what I could do with 50 grand. - A."  
  
Melissa smirked smugly from the other side of the glass, proud with her snide comment. CeCe would be pleased to know that her raven-haired accomplice was keeping the spirit of A alive while she travelled to Montecito. The blonde needed to hurry back, Melissa had just discovered a feasible source of income for her girlfriend.

* * *

"I know that you were dressed as the Black Swan at the Masquerade Ball, and I know that you didn't lose the baby in June."  
  
Spencer Hastings towered over her sister, waving a black feather with a blue-tinted tip, revealing most of Melissa's secrets.   
  
"Oh, God." Spencer frowned, "Please say something."  
  
Melissa was speechless, replaying the events from earlier in the day through her head. Spencer had invited her to see a film, a benign symbol of peace. The brunette girl had been distracting Melissa so Alison's other friends could ransack her apartment in Philadelphia. It had been an act, Spencer and Melissa at the theater.

Spencer’s best round of charades; the bucket of popcorn that they shared, the jokes that they had made throughout the movie, all those fleeting moments had been based on a fallacy. Melissa's heart hammered against her chest. She longed for another sister, a sibling who would feel empathy before indignation. Melissa could never confide in Spencer, that much was certain.  
  
"Melissa." Spencer pleaded.  
  
Flouncing on top of the couch in the living room, Melissa had forgotten how to breath. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She had to respond to Spencer's inquiries now, it needed to end.  
  
"When did you lose the baby?" Spencer asked.  
  
"The day after I found Ian's body." Melissa panted.  
  
"What? How could you not tell me?" Spencer expected sincerity from a person who she constantly lied to.  
  
"I tried to!" Melissa claimed.  
  
"When?" Spencer demanded, "When did you try?"

"The night of Ian's funeral." Melissa continued to protect Spencer from the truth, "But then I saw his phone in your bag and I thought you were the one sending me those texts."  
  
"Why would you fake being pregnant?" Spencer didn't know that the thought of being betrayed by her little sister had provoked the miscarriage.   
  
"I lost Ian!" Melissa exclaimed, "I lost the baby. It was too much."   
  
"So you pretended?" Spencer sounded disgusted.  
  
Emitting a sense of superiority, Spencer was unable to sympathize with her older sister. No comfort, no shoulder to cry on, no pity. Spencer was sitting right beside Melissa, but there was an enormous distance between the two siblings. The raven-haired woman didn't have the privilege of being honest. Melissa was in love with a person that needed her protection and that was her main priority.  
  
"My whole life was in the papers. I couldn't deal with this getting out there too." Melissa elaborated, "At least that's how it started."  
  
"You had to know that this couldn't last, right?" Spencer muttered, "Why were you at the Masquerade Ball?"   
  
"I'd like to know the answer to that myself."  
  
Veronica chimed in, entering the room to find both of her daughters resting on the couch. The attorney sounded as if she was tired of Melissa's lies, and the idea of disappointing her mother made the dark-haired woman's stomach twist. A glint of determination in Spencer's eyes told Melissa that the interrogation had just begun.  
  
"One morning, there was a package in the hallway outside my apartment." A simplified sequence of events, "The Black Swan dress was in it with a note telling me to wear it to the ball, or everyone would find out I was lying about the baby."  
  
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" As if Spencer was the beacon of absolute transparency. Her little sister was well-versed in the concept of hypocrisy.  
  
"Who? You? Mom? Dad? Garrett had just been arrested, I was scared and now someone was blackmailing me." Melissa's acting was top-notch, "So I put on the dress and I went to the ball."  
  
"Why were you talking to Jenna?" Spencer always suspected that all her enemies would form an army against her.  
  
"The note said to distract Jenna at the ball." Melissa cried her gaze directed at Veronica, "But then I saw your friends and I-I ran out."  
  
"Who would blackmail _you_?" Apparently Spencer couldn't fathom the idea of not being the center of attention.  
  
"I'm assuming it was Mona." Melissa shrugged, "She was taken to Radley that night and I never got another note or a threat again."  
  
Being coerced by a teenager was mortifying, but spending an hour having to recount it to her mother was even more demeaning.   
  
"Now that this is all out in the open, I'm hoping we can put this behind us." Melissa stood up and glided out of the room, "I'm going upstairs. I need to lie down."  
  
To her credit, Veronica was as understanding as ever. Spencer was forced to abandon her suspicion, even if she was hardly satisfied with her sister's explanation. A couple of minutes after Melissa had retired to her bedroom, Veronica and Spencer ceased bickering downstairs.  
  
With a tea in hand, a reassuring smile, Veronica supported her eldest daughter. She would prove that Garrett Reynolds was innocent; Melissa would be able to put this whole ordeal behind her. It was a foolish assumption, but Veronica did the best she could with what little knowledge she had. In reality, Melissa Hastings knew that hope only bred eternal misery.

* * *

Montecito is an unincorporated census-designated place in Santa Barbara County, California. The community is consistently ranked as one of the wealthiest communities in the United States, it boasts some of the most spectacular and expensive real estate in the United States, particularly above East Valley Road for its ideal climate along the coast. In order to preoccupy her mind, Melissa had searched for information on CeCe's random destination for a two-day spontaneous trip.   
  
As it turns out, not a single member of the DiLaurentis family seemed to inhabit a residence around Montecito. However, a woman named Claudia Dawson had been involved in a vehicle collision the day before. It was all over the local news outlets. She claimed that a driver ran her off the road.   
  
Claudia Dawson was the estranged mother of Caleb Rivers.

Closing the screen of her laptop computer, Melissa headed toward the bathroom. A shower would help calm her down. CeCe's destructive behavior was out of control.  
  
The brunette slid the glass shower door back, hopping into the cubicle. She turned on the faucet, water cascading down her bare skin and warming away the numbness from the effects of the cold air that surrounded her loft in Philadelphia.   
  
Melissa contemplated calling her girlfriend, forcing CeCe to explain her actions. Their last conversation had been via messages exchanged with the modified mobile phones, discussing how Mona would be in charge of scamming Jason. The dark-haired fiend would promise Alison's brother information pertaining to the deceased blonde's corpse, and in return, Jason would pay her fifty thousand dollars. In an ironic twist, Mona used her own henchman, Lucas Gottesman, to complete the transaction. A hierarchy of villains, Mona expected to frame him for her wrongdoings. It was brilliant.  
  
Maybe this had all been Melissa's fault for allowing her girlfriend to become A, or it's possible that CeCe's sanity had always been deteriorated. Either way, Melissa had to end the new A-Game before someone got hurt.  
  
As she winded a fluffy towel around her chest, Melissa stepped out of the shower, water dripping down her scalp. She had no plans on leaving her loft this evening, so the brunette slipped into an oversized sweater and a pair of shorts. Her wet skin was covered in goosebumps as she sauntered into her bedroom.   
  
The lamps were off but the whole room was lit by dozens of candles, basking the walls in a yellow glow. A bottle of champagne chilled in a bucket of ice by the bed, two glasses on Melissa's nightstand. Violet rose petals strewn on top of her mattress, making the whole setting look and feel like a fairy-tale.  
  
Two arms curled around Melissa's stomach, a familiar fragrance intruded from behind. The brunette already identified her guest, but she turned to face a pair of mischievous blue irises.   
  
CeCe stood in front of Melissa, wearing only a lacey singlet, the hemline barely covering the blonde's thighs. The whole scenario seemed surreal, like a wonderful dream or a provocative nightmare.  
  
"C-CeCe?" Melissa blushed, her hands unconsciously latched onto CeCe's waist.  
  
"Hi." CeCe smirked, shifting her arms over the taller woman's shoulders, "I took the fastest flight to get here on time."  
  
"On time for?" Melissa tilted her head in confusion.  
  
"The seventh of September, our anniversary." CeCe stated plainly, "When we had our first date."  
  
"We met in the beginning of June and-"  
  
"No, I distinctively remember almost impaling you with an arrow on the last day of my summer camp. You were riding a horse." CeCe corrected tenderly, "That was our first date, at least to me it was."  
  
"You kept track for nine years?" Melissa's chest swelled with emotion.  
  
"Of course." CeCe replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "I love you, Melissa Hastings."  
  
"CeCe, I-"  
  
"Wait, I have something more to say." CeCe interrupted, "I know that these past few days have been difficult, but I am so grateful to have you in my life. You're the tether that keeps me grounded."  
  
The corners of her mouth twisted upward, Melissa couldn't suppress a smile any longer. All thoughts of Montecito, Caleb Rivers, and his mother vanished from her mind. She was entranced by the sincere adoration shining in CeCe's eyes.  
  
"I love you too, CeCe Drake." Melissa grinned like an idiot.  
  
Melissa closed the small gap between them and crashed into CeCe's lips, hungry to taste her girlfriend, the force pushing the blonde back until the back of her knees pressed against the raven-haired woman's bed.

Kissing CeCe in a breathless manner, Melissa grabbed a hold of the shorter woman's hips, lifting her onto the mattress, purple flowers interlacing with golden curls. CeCe grasped on tightly to Melissa's top, tugging at the fabric. Giggling at her girlfriend’s impatience, the brunette peeled off her own sweater with one fluid motion, dropping the article of clothing onto the floor.  
  
It had been far too long since Melissa had felt her girlfriend's body lying under her own. The taller woman dove down to CeCe's neck, peppering the blonde with kisses, trailing upward along her jawline.   
  
A soft moan escaped CeCe's throat as the brunette sucked on a sensitive point under her ear. Melissa pulled her girlfriend closer, fingertips crawling their way under the golden-haired woman's one-piece garment, exploring around her hip bone teasingly. Melissa knew that she needed to have a serious discussion with CeCe, but she wouldn't dare to ruin their nine-year anniversary tonight.


	16. A Girl Celebrates Her Anniversary

Chapter 16

A Girl Celebrates Her Anniversary

* * *

 

The sun shined through the windows, casting a soft glow on the bed. A comfortable warmth filled the apartment. Melissa's eyes fluttered open. She greeted the intrusive daylight with a grunt. Saturday mornings were meant for sleeping until noon.   
  
An arm was draped over the brunette's stomach, CeCe had her head tucked under Melissa's chin. Her soft snores made the raven-haired woman smile. She began threading her fingers through CeCe's golden curls, content with laying under the bedsheets.  
  
"M-Mel?" CeCe mumbled groggily.  
  
Melissa looked down in surprise at the blonde. Blinking drowsily up at the taller woman, CeCe yawned, stretching her arms. Melissa leaned toward her, pressing their lips together. CeCe smiled into the kiss, hand on the brunette's face, fingers caressing her jaw.  
  
Remembering most of what had happened the night before, Melissa knew that she had to talk to CeCe about the incident in Montecito. A woman could have been killed.  
  
"Ce?" Melissa pulled away from CeCe, "We need to talk."  
  
The tone in Melissa's voice alarmed the blonde. Fearing that the conversation would be unpleasant, CeCe's mouth twisted into a frown. She rested her head on Melissa's shoulder, clinging on to the brunette's arm like a nervous child. CeCe knew that her girlfriend was distressed by something pertaining to the golden-haired woman’s extracurricular activities.  
  
"About?" CeCe muttered meekly.  
  
"Montecito." Melissa stated, "Caleb's mother could have died. The reports state that a car was trying to run her from the road."  
  
"Nothing happened to her, Mel. I just wanted Hanna to end her relationship with Caleb." CeCe explained, "His abilities with a computer are a problem to us. He was threatening Mona. The boy acts like he invented the concept of love. Everything is so easy for them."  
  
Jealousy. CeCe wanted to prove that she was better than Caleb Rivers, it was a competition. He was trying to find out who was harassing Hanna, while CeCe strove to keep Melissa safe. His mother maintained a relationship with him while Jessica preferred to ignore the existence of her eldest daughter. Both parallels were infuriating to CeCe.  
  
"Ce, you need to control your temper." Melissa reprimanded.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mel." CeCe murmured, "I promise to try."  
  
"It's fine, Ce." Melissa placed a kiss on CeCe's cheek, "Just keep me informed of your plans, okay?"  
  
Nodding tentatively, CeCe began biting her lower lip. She was afraid that Melissa was upset with her. Her cerulean irises stared at the brunette's face. CeCe's hand traced nervous circles on the taller woman's ribcage.   
  
Sensing the blonde's apprehension, Melissa cupped her girlfriend's chin, gently stroking CeCe's skin with her thumb before bringing theirs lips together. All distress faded away from their hearts as they melted into the kiss, exploring each other's mouth through a synchronized routine.  
  
A sudden grumbling from the raven-haired woman's stomach startled them both. CeCe released her girlfriend's lips, a playful grin adorned the blonde's features. She lowered her head, placing a gentle kiss on Melissa's bellybutton, eliciting a small laugh from the brunette.  
  
"When was the last time that you consumed an actual meal?" CeCe teased, propping herself up on an elbow to look at Melissa.  
  
"Wine has its health benefits." Melissa replied.  
  
"Oh, yes. It has so much nutritional value." CeCe mocked with a chuckle.  
  
Pushing CeCe on her back, the dark-haired woman reached out and began to tickle her girlfriend. Fingers digging into her sides, CeCe’s giggles echoed through the bedroom, a sound that delighted Melissa.  
  
The tickling and poking ceased, as Melissa straddled the smaller woman. Wrists pinned to the mattress, CeCe gazed up at her girlfriend. Golden locks sprawled on a pillow. The sight was breathtaking. Melissa's predatory smirk faded into a large smile.  
  
“I love you, CeCe.” Melissa declared.   
  
"And I love you, Melissa." CeCe responded without hesitation.  
  
Nothing else mattered but the words that the couple had just uttered to each other. It was difficult to assess if the idealist inside of Melissa truly believed that loving CeCe was enough, or if the raven-haired woman had only managed to deceive herself too well.

* * *

Lasagna commonly refers to a dish made with several layers of flat pasta sheets, alternated with sauce and cheese. Every family has their own way of preparing the meal, adding unique ingredients and spices that create a customized recipe. 

Veronica Hastings was very proud of her family's recipe, she often recounted the tale of how Peter fell in love with the lasagna that she had made for him on their first anniversary. The woman taught Melissa and Spencer how to prepare the lasagna, a lesson that each of them was expected to pass on to their own children.  
  
Throughout the years, Veronica encouraged Melissa to make the pasta dish for each of her boyfriends, but the dark-haired girl had always declined. Needless to say, Ian never experienced the luxury of having Melissa cook any sort of meal for him, let alone the traditional family lasagna.  
  
After spending the entire morning in the kitchen, Melissa's brain was making an introspective analysis on the sentimental significance of the dish that she had selected to serve for dinner. It had been an uneventful day.  
  
If being A could be considered an actual profession, one would say that CeCe's shift was being covered by her employees. Spencer and her friends had moved on to suspect Lucas Gottesman, one of Mona's blackmailed minions.  
  
A relative peaceful evening, the forbidden lovers were lounging in the living room. Melissa waited for the lasagna to finish baking, curled up next to CeCe on the couch. The fireplace was lit in front of them, soft flames emitting through the room added to the domestic coziness.  
  
The brunette rested her head on CeCe's shoulder, a blanket covering them both. The golden-haired woman combed her fingers through Melissa's raven curls. CeCe appeared tranquil, but a million thoughts and calculations were buzzing through her mind.   
  
"Garrett's mother is in the hospital." CeCe announced, "I caught a glimpse of the paramedics loading her into an ambulance last night, before I got here."  
  
"Oh, yes." Melissa added, "My mother told me that he was being granted a compassionate visit."  
  
"Emily didn't take the teeth necklace to the police department." CeCe lamented.  
  
"What a shame. Three hours of hard work, gone to waste." Melissa joked, closing her eyes as CeCe massaged her scalp.  
  
"We still don't know if the corpse belongs to Bethany or Alison, but I have an idea. I'll place traces of tissue from the cadaver onto an anklet that I gave Alison. She stopped wearing it because one of the pendants kept scratching her skin, so there's some of her blood on the jewelry." CeCe suggested, "I'll trick Spencer and her friends into turning it over to the authorities. Since they are convinced that A is working with Garrett, if I plant a note in the room where Mrs. Reynolds is being held, the girls are likely to think that the message is from Garrett to A. I can set a trap that leads them to this anklet. You said that Spencer wants Garrett in jail, if the note claims that the anklet will incriminate him, the girls will submit this item to the police."  
  
"And if the police find biological material on the anklet that doesn't belong to Alison, that means the traces of tissue from the corpse belong to a second individual, to Bethany."  Melissa finished stating the intention behind CeCe's proposed plan, "That's brilliant."  
  
Four to five moves ahead, CeCe was a master at chess. Unlike Caleb Rivers, she didn't need a computer, the blonde's capacity to process information and formulate a strategy was extraordinary.   
  
"We finish each other's schemes." CeCe grinned, "That's true love."  
  
Turning her head, CeCe captured her girlfriend's lips, her hands roaming Melissa's body. A few days of not being near the brunette had taken a toll on CeCe. She was more insatiable than usual.  
  
A loud beeping from the kitchen caused them to spring apart. CeCe was startled, heart thumping against her chest while Melissa repressed the urge to laugh at her girlfriend.  
  
"It's just the timer." Melissa giggled, leaning over to bop CeCe's nose with her index finger, "The lasagna is ready."

Slipping out from under the blanket, Melissa stood up abruptly. CeCe thought it was cute, to see her girlfriend childishly excited over something. The brunette strutted over to the kitchen, CeCe trailed behind.  
  
"My mother taught me and my sister how to make it, but I don't that Spencer perfected the dish like I did." Melissa gushed, "It's a distinguished family recipe."  
  
Slumped against the kitchen countertop, CeCe crossed her arms and admired the view of Melissa's figure as she crouched down to check the oven. The brunette's shorts exposed her athletic legs, a sight that was currently more enticing than baked pasta.  
  
"Everything about the Hastings is _distinguished_." CeCe smirked.  
  
Opening the oven, Melissa glanced inside. The crispy mozzarella cheese on the final top layer of the pasta indicated that the lasagna was ready. She used mittens to carry the pan out, placing on the surface of the kitchen countertop.  
  
"My mother made this for my father on their first anniversary. My grandmother did the same for my grandfather." Melissa gazed into CeCe's cerulean irises as she spoke, "I know that it's a day late, but I wanted to make this for _my girl_."  
  
Tears swelled in CeCe's eyes as she threw her arms over Melissa's neck, hugging the taller woman tightly. She buried her face against the crook of the brunette's neck, sobbing like an infant.   
  
Despite everything that she had done, Melissa still loved her. All the machiavellian plots, her volatile moods, the incident with Caleb's mother at Montecito, murdering her own sister, nothing deterred the raven-haired woman's intense feelings for her.   
  
Wrapping her arms around CeCe's waist, Melissa held the smaller woman close to her chest. Without speaking, she rubbed CeCe's back, her hands were still wearing the mittens, providing a soothing massage with their spongy fillings.   
  
CeCe could hear the rhythmic hammering of Melissa's heart, a steady beat that conveyed more meaning than mere dialogue ever could. Placing a tender kiss on the blonde's head, Melissa instinctively understood that words would tarnish the moment transpiring between them.

* * *

A plan had been set into motion. CeCe sent Melissa a message, informing her to hide Alison's anklet at an antique shop known as April Rose, a place implicated in the note that the blonde had planted for the girls to find. The store was owned by an elderly couple, CeCe had visited a few times when she was younger. Vintage items had always intrigued her, trinkets that seemed frozen in time. Some of her fondest memories involved watching old films, cuddled up in Jessica's lap.  
  
In stark contrast, hospitals were depressing. It was a rather insensitive conclusion, but CeCe observed that all medical facilities were gloomy. The Rosewood General Hospital had the same grim aura as the Radley Sanitarium. The blonde didn't want to stay any longer. It was cold, wearing a skirt had been a bad idea. She pulled up her pink sweater, trying to keep warm against the chilly atmosphere of the establishment. CeCe hoped that Alison's friends would show up to visit Garrett's mother and find the note that she had slipped under the slumbering woman's patient identification bracelet. Time kept passing, with no sign of the girls.  
  
It was bad enough that she had invested a few hours into looking for any information on Maya St. Germain. A few memo documents on Mona's laptop computer implied that Maya had been spending time at the Kahn estate before her premature death. Sneaking into the premises, CeCe had found Maya's useless handbag. None of its contents were able to shed some insight on who her murderer might be, and if it even pertained to the mystery surrounding Alison's friends.  
  
"This A broke me and Caleb up, do you understand? They're going to have to pay for that."  
  
CeCe was sitting on a couch in the waiting room when she heard the loud bickering between two female voices. Holding a newspaper, CeCe pretended to be engrossed in the reading material  
  
Coming into view from the corner of a corridor, Spencer and Hanna. The blonde was entering the room where Hillary Reynolds laid recuperating, while Melissa's little sister stood outside.

"Blue team to I.C.U. Blue team to I.C.U."  
  
The speakers announced that Garrett's mother was suffering from a cardiopulmonary arrest. Hanna must have done something to the vulnerable woman.  
  
"Go! Go! Go, go, go! Come on!"  
  
The two girls scurried out of the hospital room before the nurses and doctors arrived to aide Mrs. Reynolds. Spencer and Hanna didn't perceive CeCe as they rushed inside the elevator.  
  
Shaking off a shiver, the blonde headed toward the exit. CeCe had always suspected that Spencer and her friends were sinister, but she never imagined that they were capable of hurting an innocent person. Although Melissa didn't approve of CeCe's methods, the dark-haired woman needed to be sheltered from the storm that Spencer and her companions left in their wake.

* * *

The sky is glowing with the orange hue of dusk when Melissa arrived to her apartment. She came from the Hastings estate, Peter had informed her that the trace amounts of blood on the anklet had been ruled as belonging to Alison and someone else.   
  
The case against Garrett Reynolds was over.  
  
Melissa had been retrieving a few items from her bedroom when Spencer had been notified about Garrett's impending release. The young girl broke into tears, running into her room. Even with a wall in between them, Melissa felt her sister's distress. Spencer honestly believed that Garrett had murdered Alison, that he was going to escape punishment.  
  
"Hey Spence, I have one more surprise for you. Garrett isn't their killer. – A"  
  
The message was intended to provide Spencer with some dubious form of comfort. Unable to further alleviate her younger sibling’s anguish, Melissa grabbed her leopard-print scarf from the nightstand in her bedroom and left, headed to her loft in Philadelphia.  
  
Unlocking the door, Melissa walked into her apartment in Philadelphia, noticing that CeCe was cuddled up on her couch, a blanket covering her legs. She looked up at the brunette, a smile spreading across her face.  
  
"Hey, Ce." Melissa greeted, "I have some news."  
  
"And I have some ice-cream for you." CeCe announced cheerfully.  
  
"What flavor?" Melissa lit up, flopping on the couch, next to CeCe.  
  
"Rainbow-sherbet." CeCe replied.  
  
CeCe eagerly closed her laptop computer and placed it onto the coffee table beside her, grabbing a bowl that laid on the surface. She turned to Melissa, presenting her with the frozen treat. CeCe pulled her knees up under her chin, arms wrapping around her legs, awaiting Melissa's reaction.  
  
"I spent all of last night eating this, and looking through a bunch of recent newspapers for an affordable local apartment." CeCe added, “I found a perfect one near the Rosewood Mall.”  
  
The brunette nodded, taking a scoopful of the multi-colored ice-cream. Melissa savored the fruity taste. Her face wore a gleeful expression.   
  
"Hm." Melissa licked the spoon suggestively, "It's so good."  
  
CeCe's cheeks reddened as she stared at the way that Melissa's tongue swiped against the metallic utensil. Her thoughts drifted to an inappropriate setting.  
  
"So." Melissa cleared her throat, "The police say that the trace amounts of blood are a match for Alison and someone else. If the corpse belonged to Alison, the police would have just found her-"  
  
"The corpse is Bethany's..." CeCe's voice trailed off.  
  
Melissa tilted her head, a small nod, and she scooted back, pulling CeCe with her. They settled on the couch, the blonde was curled up half across Melissa with her head on the taller woman's shoulder. Both girls cuddled into the blanket.  
  
"Where do you think Alison is?" CeCe whispered.  
  
"I don't know, Ce." Melissa muttered, "Based on our timeline, it's likely that I buried Bethany on top of her. I guess that the construction workers didn't keep searching for another body."  
  
Rubbing a soothing hand over CeCe's back, Melissa felt the blonde inhale and exhale beneath her palm.  
  
"If Alison is alive-"  
  
"CeCe, don't get your hopes up." Melissa interjected gently.  
  
"But if she's alive, would she know that I hit her?" CeCe was trembling, "C-Can I stay here tonight? The apartment isn't ready yet and I need to t-think."  
  
"Of course, baby." Melissa continued caressing CeCe's back, fingers occasionally running through the blonde's golden curls.

Emotionally drained by the news that her sister might be alive, CeCe fell asleep on the couch after a few minutes. She struggled stubbornly to stay awake for a while, until she finally melted into her girlfriend’s embrace. The blonde's breathing came out in steady puffs, blowing against Melissa's collarbone.

Auburn eyes traced every inch of CeCe's face, memorizing the way that the smaller girl fitted so perfectly into her arms. Melissa had never seen the golden-haired woman so unguarded.  
  
With her defenses down, CeCe revealed that she was a fragile girl. The blonde always needed a disguise, either Charlie the confident child, Freddy the charming teenager, CeCe the fashionista, or A the menacing entity.

The shorter woman had to feign strength, it was the only way that she could overcome her mental instability. Melissa was the sole person allowed to see the blonde's true self and she vowed to protect the girl who masqueraded as CeCe Drake.

* * *

“The bolder the move, the less anyone questions it.”  
  
It was CeCe's inadequate reasoning for renting a red convertible vehicle. Melissa just stared at the crimson paint incredulously, it stood out among the desolate parking lot of CeCe's new apartment. Through the window, Melissa couldn't comprehend why the blonde wanted to attract so much attention.  
  
Every problematic individual living in Rosewood would set their sights on CeCe Drake, the suspicious girl who disappeared from town around the same time that Alison DiLaurentis vanished. CeCe had even applied for a position as a store clerk at The Diva Dish, a new fashion boutique that was located in the center of Rosewood.  
  
"You shouldn't draw so much attention to yourself." Melissa chastised as she retreated from window, "I still don't understand why you want to formally announce your return. Didn't you want to avoid being spotted by someone from the Radley Sanitarium?"  
  
"That was before I realized that most of the staff that knew me as Charles DiLaurentis and CeCe Drake have been replaced. Only Eddie Lamb remains." CeCe retorted, "And I have Wren wrapped around my finger, so he'll keep me posted."  
  
Jaw clenched tightly, a flash of jealousy flared across Melissa's eyes. Brown irises became pitch-black, narrowing down on CeCe.  
  
"I didn't know that you trusted Wren with so much." Melissa growled, "I assume that you've been flirting with him?"  
  
Sensing the anger in Melissa's voice, CeCe ceased rearranging the pillows on her couch, spinning around to face her girlfriend.  
  
"Well, I had to flirt with him, he's been risking his job to help me and-"  
  
"I'm risking my freedom by being inside of CeCe Drake's apartment!" Melissa snapped, stomping one foot, "We agreed that we couldn't be linked together, but here I am, a certified fool, standing in this place, hearing you gush about your new car."  
  
CeCe's facial features softened, taking one step forward, she grabbed one of Melissa's hands, interlacing their fingers.  
  
"I just tease him, okay? No kisses, no hugs, only teasing." CeCe smiled reassuringly, "I have perfected the art of seducing a man without touching him. Remember Jason?"

“And I should commend your self-control?” Melissa grimaced.

“You should never doubt my devotion.” CeCe declared firmly.

The sincerity glimmering in CeCe’s eyes and the conviction in the blonde’s tone were enough to dissipate Melissa’s possessiveness. The raven-haired woman relented her petty squabble.  
  
"Fine, fine." Melissa squeezed CeCe's hand, "But why do you even have to return to Rosewood? You know that Mona wants to find out who Red Coat is. She just recruited Toby, Spencer's boyfriend who has his own unpredictable motives for joining the A-Team. Detective Darren Wilden is eager to blame Alison's murder on anyone. It’s all too much. CeCe Drake would be a sitting duck."  
  
"Drake means male duck." CeCe winked.  
  
"CeCe!" Melissa reprimanded.  
  
"Okay, no jokes. I have to reappear because if Alison is alive then she has been hiding for two whole years for some reason." CeCe explained, "If she knows that I hit her, she might be looking for me, for CeCe Drake."  
  
"So, you're live bait?" Melissa hated this plan already.  
  
"Sort of." CeCe frowned, "Mel, if Alison is alive and I bring her home, my mother will forgive me. Do you understand why I have to do this?"  
  
Melissa knew that her girlfriend cared deeply about Jessica DiLaurentis, the only member of the blonde's immediate family who took the time to visit her at the Radley Sanitarium. CeCe would do anything to earn the older woman's forgiveness.

The problem was that Melissa refused to trust the DiLaurentis clan, not a single one of them mattered to her, except for CeCe. Deceptive and duplicitous, Jessica seemed to have an agenda of her own, a shadowy secret that she hid well.  
  
Darren Wilden was another issue. With the case against Garrett Reynolds a few days from officially falling apart, the detective was trying to question Mona, to find any new lead. There was a limit to Wren's influence at the Radley Sanitarium, and the board was considering a transfer for Mona. A different facility wouldn't be accessible to CeCe, her control over the young brunette would diminish.  
  
Nevertheless, Melissa didn't have a solution to offer her girlfriend, so she might as well support CeCe's plans. The blonde always had more foresight than Melissa when it came to scheming.  
  
"I understand." Melissa relented, "CeCe Drake is needs to return to Rosewood, in order to lure out Alison DiLaurentis from whatever rock she's hiding under."  
  
"Exactly." CeCe nodded.  
  
"But CeCe Drake can't be seen with Melissa Hastings." Melissa sighed dejectedly.   
  
"No." CeCe reached out to tuck a loose raven curl behind Melissa's ear, "But since CeCe Drake officially returns to Rosewood tomorrow, you can stay here tonight and engage in activities that don't have to be seen."  
  
Subduing a blush that threatened to invade her cheeks, Melissa allowed the blonde to drag her into the small bedroom. CeCe tugged at the brunette's blazer, struggling to remove the pestering article of clothing.  
  
Melissa laughed at her girlfriend's impatience, shrugging her shoulders back and slipping out of the jacket, discarding it on the floor. She leaned in closer to the blonde, placing her hands on the smaller woman's waist.  
  
Throwing her arms around the brunette's neck, CeCe captured her girlfriend's lips, kissing her with a cinematic flair that left Melissa breathless.  
  
Never one to be outplayed, Melissa's fingers trailed along the hem of the blonde’s dress, and she could feel CeCe’s hands streaking through her raven mane, roaming every which way. Clawing at each other's clothes, it was a miracle that they somehow had managed to land on the mattress. CeCe was desperate, every touch and caress was more aggressive than usual.  
  
With Mona Vanderwaal recruiting new members for the A-Team, the situation was growing harder for CeCe to handle. Lucas Gottesman, Toby Cavanaugh, the dark-haired fiend was pulling too many strings. Although the blonde didn't want to alarm Melissa, she realized that sneaking around into each other's apartments would become more complicated. For the time being, CeCe Drake intended to relish her unseen moments with Melissa Hastings.


	17. A Girl In A Coffee Shop

Chapter 17

A Girl In A Coffee Shop

* * *

 

Fashion refers to the style of clothing, footwear, cosmetics, and accessories that is currently popular. A love of fashion had always been one of CeCe Drake's signature traits. She knew all the latest trends, which outfits were prevailing, and how to wear them.  
  
Yellow. Green. Blue. Purple. Red. Standing in front of a full-length mirror at her bedroom, CeCe had tried on a dress in every single color. She couldn't decide which one looked best. The blonde was eager to meet Alison's friends for the first time, making a good impression was essential. She needed them to trust her.  
  
Nodding and smiling, Melissa laid on the mattress, naked and tangled up between the bedsheets, still a little sweaty from a spontaneous early morning exercise that she and CeCe had engaged in.   
  
"How does this one look?" CeCe twirled around in a dress with alternating pink and orange stripes.  
  
"Beautiful." Melissa replied with a dopey grin.  
  
"You've said that about all of them!" CeCe giggled.  
  
"I'm not really talking about the dress." Melissa smirked, "You look gorgeous, Ce."  
  
Hypnotized by two seductive brown eyes, CeCe leaned over the bed, diving into the raven-haired woman's mouth. Snaking a hand into the blonde's curls, Melissa sat up on the mattress and deepened the kiss, pressing her chest against CeCe with nothing but the worst intentions.  
  
When a moan escaped her throat, CeCe began pulling back, knowing that the brunette's machinations would leave her an aching mess. As CeCe recoiled from her girlfriend's nude body, Melissa gave one final nibble to the shorter woman's lower lip.  
  
"Melissa, please." CeCe was flustered, "I need to get to the Brew before the girls do."  
  
"I know, but I wanted you to regret abandoning me here, in the middle of your bed, _completely naked_." Melissa teased.  
  
With a loud whimper, CeCe groaned and reached for her black handbag from on top of the nightstand. Melissa pouted, sliding the bedsheet lower, exposing the upper part of her breasts.  
  
"Melissa..." CeCe whined.  
  
"You're not even slightly tempted to stay?" Melissa purred.  
  
"Okay, how about you wait here, all day, and when I come back, at night, we can resume these activities?" CeCe offered a fair bargain.  
  
"Deal." Melissa nodded, "I won't move from this spot. All day, I'll be here, waiting for you, laying naked on these bedsheets."  
  
Amused by Melissa's antics, CeCe strolled out of the bedroom. She needed to get to the coffee shop before Alison's friends arrived. With her wavy locks, a mischievous smirk, and a sparkling pair of cerulean eyes, CeCe Drake was eager to step into the limelight.

* * *

"Take it from me, you're always better off with a really good buy."  
  
One of Alison's trademark phrases, CeCe offered the statement to the barista at the Brew, speaking loudly enough for Spencer and two of her friends to hear.  
  
"Is it just me, or did that sound a lot like..."  
  
Emily chimed in, being the first to notice the similarity between Alison and the random blonde patron.  
  
"Alison." Spencer, Aria, and Emily said in unison.  
  
"Something wrong?" CeCe spun around, addressing them casually.   
  
"Oh, no. Sorry." Aria apologized as the girls all approached CeCe, "Wow, you just sound a lot like one of our friends."  
  
"Hope she's brilliant." CeCe was nailing all of her premeditated lines, "What's her name?"  
  
"Alison DiLaurentis." Aria replied.  
  
"You were friends of Ali's." CeCe acted as if she was taken aback, "Me too. I'm Cece."  
  
"Spencer." The tall brunette introduced herself.  
  
"Melissa Hastings' little sister." CeCe blurted out recklessly, straying from her script.  
  
The blonde had tried to maintain a neutral expression on her face, but at this distance, the resemblance between the younger girl and Melissa was uncanny. Spencer's brown irises and her jawline were identical to her older sister's own beautiful features.  
  
"Ali talked about you." CeCe wanted to pivot away from the fact that she had mentioned Melissa Hastings, "She talked about all of you. A lot."  
  
"How do you know Ali?" Emily inquired.

"Before I moved to L.A., our families rented summer homes in Cape May." CeCe lied, "We went through an intense couple weeks together. I dated her brother, Jason. She never mentioned me to you guys?"   
  
"No." All the girls shook their heads.  
  
"Well, it was intense for me." CeCe batted her eyelashes, "She was going through such a rough time, like a broken doll."  
  
"So why did you move back to Rosewood?" Spencer asked.  
  
"Listen, I hate to make tracks, but I'm already late, and my boss is high-strung and aggressively sober." Melissa was right about Spencer, the young girl could turn any conversation into an interrogation, "Come visit me at the new boutique. Across the street. Oh, and if you ever feel like doing a little free shopping, I'll be happy to turn the other way."  
  
"I-I think you're thinking of Hanna." Aria corrected, "She's not here."  
  
"Oh." CeCe immediately realized her mistake. It was hard to keep all of Mona's stories in order.  
  
Gracing the girls with a final smile, CeCe exited the coffee shop. She had given them the performance of a lifetime, with every mannerism, the blonde had been the embodiment of her little sister. If Alison DiLaurentis was alive, her precious friends were the key to finding her, and CeCe needed to earn their friendship.

* * *

Most small shops offer a special discount on their opening day, in order to seduce clients. The Diva Dish was no exception, the establishment had lowered its prices, attracting hordes of people.   
  
The chatter reverberating through the boutique was irritating. Customers kept flooding in. Casually flipping through a magazine, actively ignoring the clamorous shoppers, CeCe was disappointed. No sign of Alison's friends.  
  
The blonde had tried to be mysterious and alluring. Spencer and the girls were always looking for someone to question, a fresh suspect to pursue. CeCe did her best to sound intriguing enough to stir up their curiosity.  
  
As the door bells chimed, CeCe looked up from where she was sitting behind the store counter to find Emily walking in. She was accompanied by a dark-haired young man who CeCe had never seen in person, only in Mona's surveillance photographs.  
  
Nate St. Germain, a transfer college student who claimed to be Maya's beloved cousin. Mona didn't provide much intel on him, but he certainly appeared to be interested in Emily Fields.   
  
Approaching them with a smile, CeCe intended to figure out who Nate truly was. She began recapping the store's merchandise, showing them an assortment of products. CeCe had been to Montecito for two days, so she was hardly an expert on what accessories were trending in California, but Emily and Nate didn't know that.  
  
"...These are everywhere in L.A. right now." CeCe embellished, holding up a hand-purse, "Rachel Zoe practically gives them out as business cards."  
  
Nate nodded, gesturing to the pink wallet that CeCe was discussing, requesting Emily's genuine opinion.   
  
"Pretty." Emily was disinterested.  
  
"Next." Nate sensed Emily's lack of enthusiasm toward the item that CeCe was showing them.  
  
"No, that's good." Emily argued.  
  
"You're a lousy liar." Nate quipped knowingly.  
  
"Listen, handsome, we just got in some killer Vera scarves." CeCe did know for _a fact_ that girls loved to receive scarves, "Why don't you go pick out a couple in your price range, and we'll pick the best."  
  
As Nate retreated toward the section of the store that displayed most of the fashion accessories, CeCe turned to face Emily. The dark-haired girl was beautiful; her skin was smooth, like caramel, and her eyes were black, like a pair of onyx gems.  
  
"What's her name?" CeCe inquired, a playful glint sparkled in her eyes, "It's obvious whoever he's buying this gift for, you don't like."  
  
"Jenna." Emily responded curtly.  
  
"And she got to him before you did?" Emily might be bisexual.  
  
"Try again." Emily certainly didn't trust CeCe.  
  
"You like him, right?" CeCe tilted her head in confusion.  
  
"We're just friends." Emily still refused to disclose her sexuality.  
  
It bothered the blonde more than it should. A shot to her ego; Emily was unwilling to admit that she felt attracted to females when confronted by a gorgeous specimen such as CeCe Drake. Voices whispered awful things into the blue-eyed girl’s head. Was Emily not charmed by her because the young lesbian could tell that CeCe was _less_ of a woman than Alison, than Maya?

"And if you don't want to tap that, you're either blind or..." CeCe pretended to have an epiphany, "Oh. You're the one."  
  
"The one what?" Emily acted dumb.  
  
"With the giant crush on Ali." CeCe smirked.  
  
"She told you that?" Emily blushed faintly.  
  
"If you don't like him, then why do you care if he's with Jenna?" CeCe pried, "Is she a bitch or something?"  
  
"She's... something." Emily was a fortress, reluctant to confide in CeCe.  
  
"Then you should tell him." CeCe proclaimed, "You'd be doing him a favor."   
  
"Emily, could you come here for a second?"  
  
Beckoning for Emily from across the boutique, Nate was inspecting a pair of earrings and a floral-print scarf.  
  
"Would you wear this?" Nate flaunted the scarf in front of Emily.  
  
"No." Emily admitted, "But I'm not Jenna."  
  
"Oh." Nate decided to exhibit a pair of azure hoop earrings, "What about these?"   
  
Emily's face lit up, she reached out and grabbed the blue trinkets, analyzing them closely. A few feet away from her, CeCe played the role of the dutiful store clerk, but she was perturbed by the scene unfolding before her.  
  
"Maya had something like this." Emily murmured.   
  
"Yeah, she did." Nate nodded.  
  
"I got these a week before..." Emily's comment trailed off, "How do you know she had these?"   
  
"I don't know. Must have been in a picture she sent or something." Nate wanted to avoid the conversation, "What about this?"  
  
"How much are you wanting to spend?" Emily frowned as Nate held up a silver bracelet, "You just met her."  
  
"Would you quit busting my chops?" Nate gazed into Emily's eyes, "I wouldn't even be buying her this gift if the hottest girl in Rosewood was available, or interested in guys."  
  
"You totally picked my favorite." CeCe interrupted the conversation, snatching the floral-print scarf from Nate's hand.  
  
With a sly grin, CeCe observed Nate intently. Beneath her cheerful facade, the blonde was feeling highly territorial. Dead or alive, Emily belonged to her little sister. She couldn't stand idly by while a brazen man was presumptuous enough to flirt with a lesbian. The most troubling observation was that although CeCe still didn't know what might have happened to Alison, she had just discovered the identity of the person responsible for Maya St. Germain's death.

* * *

An entire day of working as a retail clerk was tiring. CeCe had forgotten how irritating customers could be. It was only fair that she should stuff a couple of scarves and belts into her handbag, the fringe benefits of being the employee chosen to close the store.   
  
A stunning ivory jacket caught her eye. CeCe slipped inside the blazer, a perfect fit. Melissa always said that the blonde looked beautiful in white clothing, and CeCe aimed to impress her girlfriend tonight. With her stolen items, the bold girl strolled out of the shop.  
  
Walking out of the boutique, the sky was black, stars twinkled down on her. CeCe was about to head directly to her apartment when she spotted Emily with her peripheral vision.  
  
"Hey!" CeCe called out to Emily.  
  
"Hey." Emily smiled apprehensively.  
  
"So, you deliver now?" CeCe noted the coffee cup in Emily's hands.  
  
"Oh, no, this is for me." Emily corrected CeCe's assumption.  
  
"Americano, straight. Well, the coffee, at least." CeCe teased coquettishly, "So, did you talk to handsome?"  
  
"His name is Nate." Emily avoided answering the question.  
  
"That's not an answer." CeCe persisted.  
  
"Yes, I did, but I don't think it worked." Emily explained, "In fact, I think he ended up liking Jenna more."  
  
"Well, at least you tried." CeCe pouted innocently, "That reminds me, I should give you my number."  
  
"Yeah." Emily gave CeCe her mobile phone.  
  
There was something about Emily that elicited an emotional response from CeCe. Her raven curls, the intuitive aura around the brown-eyed girl, it reminded the older blonde of Melissa.   
  
"So, uh, do you see Ali's big brother around much?" CeCe did long to see Jason again, but she was actually snooping around in Emily's handheld device.  
  
"He's around." Emily replied dismissively.

"Is he single?" CeCe asked, calling Jenna as she distracted Emily with her inquiry on Jason's relationship status.  
  
"Yeah. How long did you...?" Emily was hushed by CeCe's waving finger.  
  
"Hi, is this Jenna?" CeCe addressed the green-eyed girl on the end of the line.  
  
"Yes, and who the hell are you?" Jenna snapped.  
  
"The better question is, who the hell are you, and why are you going out with my boyfriend?" CeCe threatened.  
  
"You mean Nate? I had no idea that he-"  
  
"Whoa! Oh, you didn't? Because I think that you did know, and just didn't care." CeCe interjected harshly, "Please stop. Here's what I know, if I ever see you anywhere near Nate, I will scratch your eyes out."  
  
Without waiting for Jenna to reply, CeCe ended the call. She hadn't plan on engaging the formerly blind girl so harshly, but her anger spontaneously combusted. Jenna and Garrett had been a problem for Melissa, their recklessness had endangered the raven-haired woman's freedom, and CeCe could not allow that to go on unpunished.  
  
"What are you doing?" Emily was startled, "She used to be blind."  
  
"Oh!" CeCe found it amusing that Emily left out the details on _who_ had blinded Jenna Marshall, "Well, it needed to be done. It's not like we shot a unicorn, we're helping your friend out."  
  
"I know, but-"  
  
"Do you want me to call her back, tell her that I was kidding?" CeCe quipped, and Emily shook her head, "That's what I thought. Problem solved. See you around, Americano."  
  
Sauntering off toward her convertible vehicle, CeCe relished the pink tint that had spread on Emily's cheeks with her last phrase. She had finally managed to fluster the prudish brunette, to captivate a person who was so let attracted to _women_. Emily Fields was the second dark-haired girl that CeCe had left sexually frustrated with her sudden departure, but the blonde was eager to please only one of them tonight.

* * *

A single light gleamed from within the otherwise dreary apartment. It was impossibly late. As CeCe unlocked the front door, she feared that Melissa had grown tired of waiting around for her.  
  
An unforeseen situation had arisen at the Radley Sanitarium. Hanna and Aria barged into Mona's room, trying to obtain information from the former stalker. CeCe was forced to make a detour, sneaking inside the facility to retrieve an audio recorder, one of the many devices that she had planted throughout the mental institution. Mona had to be under constant surveillance, the young girl was a liability.  
  
Entering the loft, CeCe was shocked to find Melissa curled up on the far side of the couch, her head resting on a pillow and a blanket covering her folded legs. The brunette's hair was styled up in a bun, and she wore a thin camisole. Melissa was browsing through Mona's laptop computer, apparently interested in something on the screen.  
  
"Hey." CeCe announced her arrival with an apologetic smile, "Sorry that I'm late, I had an issue with Mona."  
  
"No problem, babe." Melissa chirped, "I was just looking through Mona's computer files. Did you know that she found those Alison masks at a place called Hector's Studio? I should check it out."  
  
"Really? Are you sure?" CeCe was thrilled that Melissa was finally showing interest in finding more about Alison.  
  
"It should be safe. You'll keep the four musketeers busy with some shenanigan." Melissa stated.  
  
CeCe plopped down onto the cushion beside her girlfriend. She pulled up the black hoodie over her head, throwing it on the ground. With a grin, she slid her feet over Melissa's lap, settling her back against the arm of the couch. Blue eyes stared keenly at the brunette's face. Melissa closed the screen of laptop computer, placing it on the center table.  
  
"I placed an Ouija board in Hanna's house during my lunch break." CeCe declared proudly, "It had a needle attached to prick her finger. I'm sure that they'll be too preoccupied with worrying about their blood appearing on Alison's anklet to waste time going after you."  
  
"Spencer forgot to turn in her college application to the University of Pennsylvania before the early admissions deadline." Melissa divulged, “I have a friend who works at the main office, he could probably make sure that it’s processed on time. You can somehow setup a way to be Spencer’s heroine. If you offer my little sister any sort of academic help, she'll follow you around like a puppy."

"Genius. But how did you even find out that Spencer had failed to submit her application?" CeCe raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You're not the only sleuth sitting on this couch." Melissa teased, "I've also spent the entire day going through Mona's files, so I'm the most well-informed member of the A-Team."  
  
"Well, worked pretty hard today too." CeCe nudged Melissa with her leg, "I actually brought you a bunch of nice scarves and belts from the boutique."  
  
"You bought them?" Melissa was hesitant to ask.  
  
"What's the point in working at a boutique if you have to _buy_ anything?" CeCe smirked.  
  
"You're such scoundrel." Melissa complimented, "I can't decide if you deserve a reward or a punishment."   
  
Scooting toward CeCe, the brunette moved closer to her girlfriend's face, nearing the smaller woman's lips.  
  
"Oh, before I forget." CeCe grinned like a cat that had eaten a salmon filet, "I figured out who killed Maya St. Germain."  
  
Melissa huffed in annoyance as her girlfriend reclined away from her. Much to the brunette's chagrin, CeCe was fully engrossed in her tale.  
  
"Nate St. Germain, some idiot who claims that he is Maya's cousin. He knew about some earrings that Emily had bought for her, and I got major murdery vibes from him." CeCe recounted,   
  
" _Murdery_ isn't a word." Melissa reprimanded.  
  
"Good thing that we aren't playing Scrabble." CeCe poked Melissa's stomach playfully.  
  
The dark-haired crossed her arms, seemingly upset about something. CeCe doubted that her girlfriend cared about Maya. Another issue perturbed Melissa's mind.  
  
"You made a promise this morning." Melissa pouted.  
  
"Did I?" CeCe was being coy, "I appear to have forgotten what it was..."  
  
Crawling over to CeCe, the taller woman allowed the blanket to fall on the floor, revealing her skimpy shorts. Grabbing the blonde's waist, Melissa tugged her girlfriend closer. CeCe recognized the yearning expression on the brunette's face.   
  
"Do you remember now?" Melissa purred provocatively, "I'll give you a hint."  
  
Surging forward, Melissa captured the golden-haired woman's lips, ravenously kissing her. CeCe moaned, her body arching upward as her fingers wormed their way underneath the brunette's camisole, her other hand glided up Melissa's neck, untying her hair bun and releasing her messy ebony locks.  
  
CeCe's heart pounded against her chest as Melissa pulled her arms out of the camisole, revealing her lacy brassiere. The raven-haired woman leaned back from CeCe's mouth, pushing the blonde's black shirt up over her breasts and toward her shoulders, flinging the interloping article of clothing aside.   
  
Illuminated by the bright light of the lamp in the living room, CeCe became aware of the freckles on her arms and her neck, a pale complexion that was more bland than the brunette's alluring olive skin. The smaller woman felt self-conscious as Melissa appraised her, hovering over CeCe's body.  
  
"You're so beautiful, CeCe." Melissa whispered softly, dispelling CeCe's insecurities.  
  
Melissa lowered herself on top of CeCe, peppering kisses along the blonde's neck. Cerulean eyes closed, her fingers traced the muscles on Melissa's biceps, leaving goosebumps in their wake. When she felt the brunette stumble with her waistband, CeCe lifted her hips, allowing Melissa to yank down her pants.  
  
The sight of CeCe in nothing but her underwear never failed to fluster Melissa, so she steadied herself with her palms against the couch cushion. Regaining her confidence, CeCe tilted her head and gave the brunette her trademark half-smirk.   
  
“You're a goddess.” CeCe murmured, "Let me worship you."  
  
An incredibly cheesy comment that if it was uttered by anyone other than CeCe Drake, the dark-haired woman would probably vomit. However, the blonde's raspy voice made Melissa swoon. The pad of CeCe’s index finger rested on a particularly responsive spot on the brunette's breast. The sensation caused a jolt of pleasure to course through Melissa's body. Unraveled by CeCe's ministrations, she forced herself to fall forward.

One of the blonde's hands grabbed the back of Melissa's neck, reeling her in for a scorching kiss. She nibbled on the taller woman's lower lip, smiling into Melissa's mouth. CeCe's fingers glided down to unclasp the brunette's brassiere, flicking the undergarment off from her girlfriend's torso. Disrobing Melissa Hastings was a skill that she had practiced to perfection.   
  
With a gasp, Melissa almost crumpled on top of her girlfriend, groaning into the blonde's mouth. CeCe giggled before flipping them over so that Melissa was the one lying down instead. The brunette craned her neck back, breaking their kiss. She moaned a little louder as CeCe continued to palm her chest.   
  
"I love you, Melissa." CeCe muttered, "And this is the only thing that I have to offer."  
  
Although CeCe's passionate acclamation had a disconcerting subtext, Melissa couldn't think clearly when the smaller woman’s lips began nipping on her collarbone. Only a couple of thoughts invaded Melissa's mind, such as the way that CeCe felt against her, how soft her skin was, the coconut fragrance that seemed ingrained in her golden curls, and currently, how the blonde's hand held her breast so tenderly.  
  
A loud thumping, Melissa felt the blonde's heartbeat hammering against her own. In a matter of ardent moments, two sets of bare limbs became intertwined on the couch. Neither girl could even remember when they had finished undressing each other.  
  
Leaning over the taller woman, CeCe trailed her lips along the brunette's jawline. Her hand sliding down Melissa's abdomen, squeezing gently on the inside of the raven-haired woman's thigh. CeCe smashed herself down against Melissa's fidgeting frame, kissing her with all the love that the blonde had to give.  
  
Skin against skin, labored breathing echoed throughout the living room, harmonizing as loud moans became soft whimpers and then faded into shallow pants. CeCe collapsed on top of her girlfriend, exhausted as she groggily nuzzled into the crook of Melissa's neck.  
  
Sprawled over the brunette, CeCe fell asleep after a few minutes. Her snoring blew little gusts of warm air on Melissa's skin. After a short yawn, the taller woman willed herself to scoop CeCe up in her arms and stagger toward the bedroom.  
  
With tired eyes, Melissa was able to settle the blonde on top of the mattress. She laid herself beside the smaller woman, using one hand to slip the bedsheets over their bodies.  
  
"W-Was I good to you?" A mumble escaped CeCe's parted lips, "Was l good e-enough?"  
  
It was such an uncharacteristic remark coming from CeCe Drake, the customarily self-assured young woman. Perhaps that was the dilemma, the blonde resting next to Melissa wasn't CeCe, but her true self, figuratively protruding from the cracks on her mask.  
  
Melissa had always known that the young woman with the sapphire irises and golden locks wasn't called CeCe Drake, Charles, Charlie, or Freddy. The brunette wondered when her girlfriend would reveal her real name, the one attached to a genuine personality that Melissa was permitted to see glimpses of from time to time.  
  
"Yes, you always are." Melissa affirmed,  placing a kiss on CeCe's cheek, "I love _you_ , okay?"  
  
Tears began to brim in the corners of Melissa's eyes, a pain swelling in her chest; she needed her girlfriend to feel unconditionally loved. Her palm cupped CeCe's cheek, using her thumb to caress the young woman's skin. Melissa peppered every inch of the blonde's face with kisses, as if each loving peck could fortify CeCe and prevent her from falling apart.  
  
Tucking the blue-eyed girl's head under her chin, Melissa curled up over CeCe's body. She nestled them closer together, securing an arm around the blonde's stomach. Pressing her lips against CeCe's hair, the brunette embraced the fragile woman, allowing sleep to overtake her and hoping that it brought them both a sliver of peace.


	18. A Girl Creates A New Tradition

Chapter 18

A Girl Creates A New Tradition

* * *

 

Mankind has often studied dreams, trying to find a correlation between the images that we see when we are sleeping and the events that transpire in our lives afterwards. The scientific community even uses the term oneirology, to denote an entire branch of research that is devoted to the study of dreams.  
  
No one has been able to rationalize dreams thus far, any meaningful message that they are trying to comprehend is up for interpretation.  
  
Some dreams are easily forgotten, discarded as sleep-induced ramblings of an overstressed mind. However, some dreams leave a lingering impression, a foreboding feeling that isn't easy to dispel, malevolent visions known as nightmares.  
  
"Mom, p-please. D-Don't go."   
  
A soft whimper resonated through the bedroom, mumbled phrases and choked sobs. A solid weight pressing upon her chest, Melissa began to stir awake. Muffled cries from CeCe had disturbed her slumber. She felt the blonde quiver against her, thrashing uncontrollably as she slept.  
  
"Please. Don't l-leave me." CeCe murmured, "I'm n-not a boy."  
  
"Baby, wake up." Melissa cooed into CeCe's ear, "Please, wake up. Don't worry, I'm here."  
  
CeCe opened her eyes to find herself being cradled in Melissa's arms. Her face was tucked into the brunette's chest, with Melissa’s hands holding the side of her neck. The raven-haired woman felt soft and warm.  
  
"I'm here, Ce." Melissa chanted, "I've got you."  
  
The sound of Melissa’s voice was calming. Humming gently, she rocked herself back and forth, moving CeCe’s shaking body along with her. Melissa placed a kiss on the top of her girlfriend's head.  
  
"M-Mel?" CeCe murmured as she slowly opened her eyes, “I’m s-sorry that I woke y-you up. I'm so sorry.”  
  
Covered in tears and sweat, CeCe was shivering. Speaking a bunch of panicked words that didn’t seem coherent, the blonde was inconsolable.  
  
"No need to apologize. You had a nightmare. Do you remember what it was about?" Melissa asked softly, “You can tell me.”  
  
"I had a nightmare, about w-when my parents left me. I was so sad and scared. It was all so vivid." CeCe cried, "They told me that I should have just tried harder to be a boy. My father says that no one will love me as a f-freak. Bethany, she kills Marion, and blames me."  
  
Half of the things that CeCe had said didn't make any sense. Melissa scanned her girlfriend's expression, studying the stress in her dilated pupils. The brunette shifted closer, planting a kiss on her forehead, on both cheeks, under each eye. Pulling back to assess the discomfort, Melissa brushed some hair tendrils from out of CeCe's face.  
  
"I know that you aren't a boy. You're a girl. You're my favorite _girl_." Melissa held CeCe firmly, and lifted the blonde's chin. "Don't you dare blame yourself. You're amazing and I love you. The real you, okay?"  
  
"Melissa..." CeCe hiccuped, "T-Thank you.  
  
Tears continued to stream down from CeCe's eyes. Melissa wiped them off; she couldn't stand to see her girlfriend in so much pain.  
  
"Do you need anything?" Melissa offered, "Do you want some warm milk?"  
  
"Warm milk?" CeCe was perplexed.  
  
"When I was little, my parents would give me warm milk to help me sleep." Melissa explained, "It's sort of a family tradition."  
  
"Oh." CeCe smiled dejectedly, "The Hastings sure have a lot of family traditions."  
  
Melissa felt idiotic as she realized that the blonde had never been cared for by a loving set of parents. Her heart began to ache. She really hated CeCe's negligent family.  
  
"I'll make you some." Melissa gave CeCe a small grin as slid out of the bedsheets.  
  
The cold air grazed against Melissa’s bare skin, and she searched the room for a discarded shirt, locating a sweater on the floor by the nightstand. Melissa pulled the hemline of the garment downward, as low as it could be stretched, and headed toward the kitchen.  
  
Making her way through CeCe's apartment, the raven-haired woman was unsure of which corridor to take. Wandering around hallways, Melissa found the kitchen at the rear end of the loft.

Rummaging and opening the cabinets, Melissa found a few mugs, some powdered cocoa, a bag of marshmellows, flour, sugar, and other pantry items. An idea sprung up in her mind. She went to the fridge and poured milk into a mug, filling it close to the brim.   
  
Setting the timer on the microwave, Melissa placed the mug inside, waiting for the heating process to run its course. She thought about how lonely CeCe must have felt growing up. The blonde had spent all her life in isolation; she didn't have any comforting memories. Melissa wasn't sure if she could ever mend CeCe's tortured psyche, but she swore to herself that she would try.  
  
After the brunette was satisfied with the treat that she had prepared for her beloved girlfriend, Melissa sauntered back to the bedroom. She found CeCe sitting on the mattress, wrapped in the covers.   
  
"Here you go." Melissa smiled as she handed CeCe the mug, "Hot cocoa with extra marshmallows."  
  
"Hot cocoa? I thought that you were bringing me milk?" CeCe muttered, "Is this another family tradition?"  
  
"Yes, starting now. This is can be _our_ tradition." Melissa briefly caressed CeCe's face as she tucked back a lose strand of hair behind the blonde's ear.  
  
"Our?" CeCe sounded confused. She titled her head to the side, something Melissa always found incredibly adorable.  
  
"You and me. Whenever one of us feels bad, the other one makes hot cocoa." Melissa climbed back on the bed as she spoke.  
  
It took a few seconds for Melissa's words to sink in, but when CeCe fully processed what the brunette had said, her face lit up, and she began to cheerfully sip her cocoa. Melissa sat on the mattress next to her girlfriend, gently stroking CeCe's locks with one hand as the blonde drank her chocolaty treat.  
  
After a few minutes, CeCe handed the empty mug to the taller woman, who then placed it on the nightstand. In comfortable silence, Melissa laid back on the mattress and pulled the blonde down with her.  
  
"You feel better?" Melissa asked as the smaller girl snuggled into her arms.  
  
"Yes. Thank you, Melissa." CeCe leaned in and kissed Melissa softy.  
  
"It was my pleasure." Melissa said as CeCe pulled away. The blonde was broadly smiling.  
  
"You are such a sap. That new family tradition?" CeCe laid her head on Melissa's chest as she wrapped her arms around the brunette, "You are too sweet. I love you, Mel.”  
  
"And I love you, Ce." Melissa replied softly, "Try to get some sleep, I'll watch over you."  
  
"Good night, Melissa." CeCe murmured before closing her eyes.  
  
CeCe nuzzled against Melissa, sighing contently as she felt the brunette's arms around her. Melissa smiled to herself as she pulled her girlfriend tightly. She began stroking CeCe's back, pressing a tender kiss to the shorter woman's head.   
  
It was true, the DiLaurentis family had abused CeCe, but the Hastings clan didn't know who Melissa truly was. It was wrong to impose her traditions on the blonde, it was better to create new ones, to liberate themselves from the people who had never understood who they were.  
  
After a while, she felt CeCe's heartbeat steady, indicating that the golden-haired woman had fallen asleep. For rest of the night, CeCe slumbered peacefully. Melissa was right in assuming that hot cocoa would be a lot more effective than warm milk.

* * *

An appetizing smell was circulating throughout the apartment. It crept into the bedroom, finding its way under the covers where CeCe slept. A hint of the scrumptious aroma elicited a growl from the blonde's stomach, awakening her with a jolt.  
  
Patting the vacant space beside her, CeCe quickly realized that she was alone on the mattress. Sitting up on the bed, her eyes roamed around the bedroom. The young woman noticed an oversized shirt and a pair of shorts had been laid over the duvet bedding. She put on the clothing and headed toward the kitchen, determined to locate the delicious scent.  
  
The blonde spotted Melissa at the stove, frying something on a pan as she whistled a tune to herself. It was the most adorable thing that CeCe had ever seen.

With a playful grin adorning her face, CeCe approached her girlfriend stealthily. She placed a kiss on the back of Melissa's neck, eliciting a giggle from the dark-haired woman. Turning her head to face CeCe, Melissa captured the blonde's lips, giving her a proper greeting.   
  
Their mouths remained locked as the brunette maneuvered her spatula and flopped two eggs on a plate. Melissa pulled back, leaving a breathless CeCe from the kiss. Arrogantly smirking at her girlfriend, the brunette threw the dirty utensils in the kitchen sink. As CeCe remained lost in a daze, she spun around with two readied plates in her hands.  
  
"Good morning, CeCe." Melissa chirped cheerfully, sauntering over to the coffee table, "Breakfast is ready."  
  
Snapping out of the spell that Melissa had placed upon her, CeCe noticed that breakfast had been served. Forks, placemats, mugs, glasses with of orange juice, everything was already laid out on the coffee table.  
  
"You can fry eggs and steal my breath away with one movement." CeCe gushed, "I'm thoroughly impressed."  
  
Eyelashes fluttering smugly, Melissa held out a chair for the blonde, before taking a seat of her own. CeCe saw that Mona's laptop computer rested near the mugs, but she became more interested in her breakfast dish. Two fried eggs and a strip of bacon had been arranged into a smiley face. CeCe chuckled, glancing at Melissa with adoration.  
  
"My breakfast seems to be in a great mood." CeCe observed as she reached for the tiny owl-shaped salt shaker.  
  
"And I have one more surprise for you." Melissa announced as she opened Mona's laptop computer and turned on the screen, "This is Maya's secret website. Mona gave it to the Aria and Hanna last night."  
  
"How did you find it?" CeCe mumbled through a mouthful of bacon.  
  
"The recording that you brought, I spent most of the morning listening to Mona's nonsensical ramblings until I figured out that the first letter of each random word could be used to spell out a message." Melissa paused to take a sip of her coffee before she continued explaining, "So then 'Miss Aria, you're a killer, not Ezra's wife' becomes 'Maya knew' after applying the concept."  
  
"You're brilliant." CeCe was awestruck.  
  
"I figured that something on this website might prove that Nate isn't who he says he is." Melissa speculated, "Do you still have Maya's handbag?"  
  
Emitting a groan, CeCe washed down a piece of toast by gulping some orange juice. She shook her head, lamenting her decision to leave the handbag at the Kahn estate.  
  
"No, I left it at Eric's cabin." CeCe sighed, "I'm such an idiot."  
  
"But you're a lucky idiot. Eric is throwing a party tomorrow night." Melissa informed her, "You can sneak in there and give the purse another inspection."  
  
"Perfect." CeCe nodded eagerly, "Wren sent me a message this morning. He's going to prevent Mona from getting a transfer. The poor guy is getting hassled by Wilden, and yet he still goes out of his way to help me. British men are so chivalrous."  
  
Rolling her eyes, Melissa nibbled on a slice of toast, absentmindedly pretending to be grateful for Wren's assistance. Jealousy always gnawed at her confidence when CeCe mentioned the young doctor.   
  
"What are your plans for today?" CeCe asked.  
  
"I was thinking about visiting Hector's Studio and asking about the Alison masks. Spencer wants to have lunch with me, so I have to make some time to withstand one her passive-aggressive interrogations." Melissa replied, "Then I want to get home and watch movies with my girlfriend all afternoon."  
  
"Sounds like a plan." CeCe grinned.  
  
The couple finished the rest of their meal basking in a serene form of silence. CeCe seemed so carefree and jovial, as if she was just a regular girl, free from being entangled in murder investigations and mental asylums. If life was a sequence of intervals that alternated between suffering and bliss, Melissa longed to avoid the inevitable transition of time.

* * *

After passing through a hidden trail that forked off a paved road, Hector's Studio could be found by the corner of Torch Lake. Even under clear skies and illuminated with bright sunlight, the establishment appeared dark and foreboding.

It took Melissa a while to decide if she should leave her black sedan unlocked, in case she needed to make a quick exit from the eerie speciality shop. Entering through the squeaky front door, Melissa spotted a dark-haired man by the counter. He wore an apathetic expression on his face.  
  
"Hey, I'm here to make an inquiry about this mask." Melissa asked gently, presenting the stoic merchant with the Alison mask, "Is it one yours?"   
  
"It is." The creepy man confirmed, "I'm Hector Lime. My stamp is on the back. Which I guess is how you got here?"  
  
"Why did you make it?" Melissa went straight to the point, "Or more importantly, when did you make it?"  
  
"I put an advertisement on the Internet. I was looking for a model. I needed a Joan of Arc. Someone young, beautiful, and a warrior. This girl was perfect." Hector recollected, "Hm. You would make a magnificent Cleopatra."  
  
"You used her as Joan of Arc?" Melissa needed to know if Alison came to see Hector before or after Labor Day, "So, do you remember the last time you saw her?"  
  
Craning his head to the side, Hector stared at the brunette intently. He was analyzing the shape of Melissa's profile, her high cheekbones, the edge of her chin. The sculptor had never seen such a perfectly chiseled face.  
  
"You would make a perfect Cleopatra." Hector proclaimed, "With Halloween right around the corner, I've got a client who would love you as Cleopatra. Suppose we do a little barter. I'll tell you what I know, and you let me make a mold of your face?"  
  
"D-Deal." Melissa agreed with a stutter, "Just tell me what you know first."  
  
"I saw her a couple of times, two summers ago. She said her name was Alison. I can't remember when was the last time that I saw her. She was always alone, except one time. Somebody had brought her here in a black Impala, but I never saw the driver." Hector stated, "She needed the money that I owed her for being my model, so I gave her what I had in my wallet. I didn't have the rest yet."  
  
"I see." Melissa didn't know anyone who drove a Chevrolet Impala, she would have to consult with CeCe.  
  
"Now, that's all I know." Hector announced, "Please wait here, I need to gather some materials and tools. Your face is the last ingredient that I require in order to bring Cleopatra back to life."  
  
"Yeah, sure." Melissa nodded, "A deal is a deal."  
  
Cleopatra, a renown female pharoah. Ruling Egypt during the Hellenistic period, she was of Greek origin, such as is the name _Melissa_. The Egyptian queen was famous for agreeing to a pragmatic liason with Julius Cesar that resulted in a child, although her heart belonged to his lieutenant, Marc Anthony.   
  
It is a common belief, when Cleopatra heard that Marc Anthony had been slain in battle, she committed suicide by allowing one of her beloved asps to bite her. Death at the hands of a serpent, the meaning behind her girlfriend's surname, _Drake_. A love story that concluded with a tragic ending.  
  
Wearing a wistful smile, the brunette found herself agreeing with Hector's theatrics. She felt perfectly suited to lend her appearance for Cleopatra, since Melissa was certain that sooner or later, being in love with CeCe Drake would lead to her death.

* * *

As Melissa parallel-parked next to the apartment complex, she checked herself out in the mirror. Her hair still had a few encrusted pieces of clay, the residue from an odd form of payment to Hector's Studio.  
  
Melissa reapplied mascara and lip gloss, amazed that Spencer had failed to see the white flakes scattered throughout her raven curls. Then again, the younger girl rarely glanced into her older sister's eyes anymore, let alone the roots on her scalp.

Looking around the street, Melissa stepped out and headed toward the loft when she was sure that no one would see her entering CeCe's residence. Opening the door, the strong smell of cooked poultry caught Melissa off-guard.  
  
In the dining room, a table was set for two, candles flickering to generate a romantic atmosphere. CeCe was drying some dishes in the nearby kitchen, her back to Melissa. Discarding her handbag on the kitchen countertop, the dark-haired woman wrapped her arms around CeCe's waist.

"So, did you make chicken?" Melissa murmured into CeCe's ear.  
  
"Cornish hens." CeCe twisted around in her girlfriend's hold, "But you made a decent guess."  
  
"Hm." Melissa hummed, burrowing her neck into CeCe's neck.  
  
"Easy, tiger." CeCe teased as the brunette began kissing up to her chin, "Dinner first, then desert."  
  
Although Melissa was reluctant to detach herself from the blue-eyed woman's body, the dish that CeCe had prepared was worthy of her undivided attention.

A roasted small bird rested on a plate, accompanied with a pile of green beans and a lump of seasoned rice. Two glasses of white wine, Melissa's favorite beverage, were placed next to each plate. White candles served as a centerpiece, with CeCe's matching set of owl-shaped salt and pepper shakers on each side.  
  
No words of gratitude needed to be spoken. Melissa simply took three steps toward CeCe and claimed her lips, both hands holding on to the blonde's head, her fingers tangled into a golden mane.

When Melissa pulled back, CeCe was radiantly beaming, a flush to her cheeks. The smaller woman reached up, and used her thumb to wipe at the corner of her mouth where Melissa had smeared CeCe's lipstick, an undoubtedly sincere form of appreciation.

* * *

"Do you know anyone who drives a black Chevrolet Impala?"  
  
In the safety of CeCe’s bedroom, the blonde lounged on her mattress with her back resting against the headboard and her legs over Melissa’s lap. The dark-haired woman held her girlfriend's feet gently, painting the nails on her toes. Eric Kahn's party was tomorrow night, and CeCe wanted to look her best. Melissa obliged, delicately brushing red paint on each nail.  
  
"Alison dated a lot of guys back then." CeCe grinned, "We used to go out to bars every single night, seduce guys into buying us drinks. A few kisses can turn men into your puppets and-"  
  
"Next foot." Melissa interrupted icily, pushing CeCe's leg.  
  
"This was _mostly_ before we declared love to one another!" CeCe argued, "Don't be jealous."  
  
"Mostly?" Melissa's eyes narrowed.  
  
"You were texting Alison and telling her to back off from Ian while we dated." CeCe huffed at Melissa's hypocrisy.  
  
"Out of principle!" Melissa defended herself.  
  
"Well, I wanted to bond with Alison, so let's call it a truce." CeCe leaned forward and pecked Melissa's nose, "You know that I love you."  
  
"I know, I know." Melissa conceded with a smile, "But this secret relationship status has been weighing us down for years, and I'm tired of the all the pointless affairs in our lives; Ian, Wren, Garrett, Eric..."  
  
"Jason."   
  
"Jason doesn't count, he's our half-brother."  
  
"And that didn't stop you from kissing him."  
  
"I wasn't aware of that problematic fact at the time!"  
  
Giggles resonate throughout the apartment as Melissa and CeCe began laughing at how complicated their romantic lives had become, interwoven with people that neither girl desired, only to either replace the hole left by losing each other or for furthering a selfless agenda to protect one another. The tragic couple found humor in the hopelessness of their current predicament.  
  
"To answer your original question, Alison dated Ezra Fitzgerald for a while, you know, during _that_ summer." CeCe recounted, "She met him at a bar, I was pretending to be horrible at throwing darts in order to seduce-"  
  
"Can we skip the part where you kiss someone who isn't me and get to the point?" Melissa growled.  
  
"Ahem, the point being, Ezra is dating Aria now, so he found a way to continue lurking around Rosewood." CeCe explained as the brunette finished giving her a pedicure, "Maybe we need to keep an eye on him."  
  
"So wait, did you pretend to not know how to swim to lure me in?" Melissa sneered, closing the nail polish bottle and shoving CeCe’s legs off from her lap.  
  
"No, Melissa." CeCe straightened herself on the bed, "I did not _fake_ almost drowning in your pool."

With a scoff, Melissa crossed her arms and turned away from the smaller woman, sitting on the edge of the bed. Amused by the brunette's jealous behavior, CeCe crawled over the mattress until she reached her girlfriend, coiling her arms around Melissa's waist.  
  
"Don't get mad." CeCe rested her chin on Melissa's shoulder, "Hanna kissed Wren, you know?"  
  
"What does that have to do with us?" Melissa muttered, begrudgingly permitting CeCe to tug her toward the center of the bed.  
  
"Hanna only broke up with Caleb a few weeks ago, and she _kissed_ Wren. He convinced Hanna to persuade the doctor at the Radley Sanitarium to leave Mona there instead of transferring her. Wren didn't merit a kiss, but Hanna gave him one anyways." CeCe muttered, "Caleb isn't locked in a mental asylum or lost at sea, he's attainable. Kissing Wren wouldn't serve Caleb's interests in any way. Hanna simply wanted to kiss Wren."  
  
Toying with the drawstrings of her sweatpants, Melissa understood the significance of the blonde's story. CeCe grabbed her girlfriend's wrist, beckoning the dark-haired woman to join her underneath the bedsheets. Melissa complied, slipping next to CeCe.  
  
"I love you, Melissa Hastings." CeCe declared, "You trump everyone else."  
  
The brunette’s eyes started to sting, her pulse was drumming against her chest, an ache of shame in her heart. Melissa's fingers moved on their own accord, fitting into the spaces between CeCe's hand. Their heads descended on top of a pillow, lying side by side, looking into each other's contrasting irises, the clash of blue and brown symbolized the balance between the sky and the earth.  
  
Melissa surged toward her girlfriend, kissing the blonde until both young women had forgotten about how miserable it was that their relationship had been forced into the shadows for so long. After a while of trading kisses and caresses, CeCe fell asleep first, her fist gripping onto Melissa's shirt.  
  
Under the glow of the moonlight, the golden tendrils of the CeCe's hair were splayed around the pillow like a halo. Melissa pulled the blonde closer, fitting the smaller woman into the contours of her body. Struggling to stay awake, her eyelids became heavy and Melissa drifted off to a content slumber, losing consciousness as she memorized the intricate outline of CeCe's face.


	19. A Girl Attends A Party

Chapter 19

A Girl Attends A Party

* * *

 

Cracks of light entered through the window, the sun shined in, announcing that the morning had arrived. Tossing and turning for a few minutes, CeCe eventually opened her eyes, relinquishing any pretense of sleep. She was disoriented, reaching out and finding that there was no one beside her. Melissa had left, the mattress was empty and cold.   
  
The blonde rolled over, pushing the bedsheets off with her feet. The alarm clock on her nightstand indicated that it was eight in the morning. From the corners of her eyes, CeCe spotted a handwritten note attached to the bedside lamp. Sitting up on the mattress, the golden-haired woman grabbed the slip of paper, reading the message out loud.  
  
"I have class at eight in the morning today. I left some chocolate-chip pancakes in the microwave. Remember that Eric Kahn's party is tonight. I sent him a message in your name, and I made sure that you were on the guest list. Be safe. Love, M.H."  
  
Her heart melted as she traced Melissa's cursive penmanship with her finger. CeCe knew that the note had to be burned immediately, since it linked her and Melissa together, but there was no harm in admiring her girlfriend's excellent calligraphy for a few moments.   
  
When the blonde finally exited her apartment, she was energized and lighthearted, eager to start her shift at the Diva Dish. It was unimaginable, the idea of CeCe Drake being enthusiastic about something as mundane as going to work was a true testament to the power that Melissa Hastings had over her.

* * *

As the sole café in Rosewood, the Brew was filled with the sound of muffled conversations and the chatter of patrons. CeCe glided into the establishment with a nonchalant flair. Sauntering right toward the counter, the blonde found a mobile phone resting on the surface. An irresponsible customer had abandoned the valuable item.   
  
CeCe paid for her coffee drink, and gave the handheld device a second glance. The screen displayed an image of a person's wrist. A stamp was imprinted on the individual's skin, a logo that CeCe recognized as Eric Kahn's signature ink mark. The young man insisted on branding those who attended his parties as a way of tallying the guests, but CeCe knew that he just wanted to feel important.  
  
Scanning throughout the café, CeCe saw Aria and Spencer lounging on a couch. These girls were so careless, leaving their mobile phones unattended, full of information that revealed their schemes. Were Alison's friends investigating Maya's murder as well? Could one of them be involved? CeCe knew that she needed find the deceased girl's purse before they did.  
  
"Morning, ladies." CeCe greeted as she approached Aria and Spencer, "This belong to one of you?"   
  
"Yeah, that's mine." Aria stood up and accepted the mobile phone from CeCe's outstretched hand, "Thanks."   
  
"Sure." CeCe replied, detecting a discarded college application on the center table, "UPenn. Who's applying?"  
  
"Not me, because I'm going to community college." Spencer groaned, craning her neck back.  
  
CeCe grinned, knowing that it was time to make her move. Melissa had already informed her about Spencer's current academic dilemma.  
  
"She just missed the early admissions deadline." Aria was amused with Spencer's dramatics.  
  
"Hey, you don't need early admissions." The memory of Melissa invaded her brain, "You're a Hastings. If I can get in, you can get in."  
  
"You went to UPenn?" Spencer seemed surprised.  
  
The corners of her mouth twisted upwards, CeCe smirked, wondering what Spencer's reaction would be if she knew what Melissa and the blonde were _doing_ behind closed doors. It would probably be more scandalous than CeCe being accepted into a prestigious college.  
  
"Okay, dial down the shock." CeCe giggled.  
  
"No." Spencer sounded apologetic, "No, it's just that if you went, then maybe you know somebody that I can talk to about my application, like a dean or a professor, a janitor, even."  
  
"Well, there is this party tonight, some people I haven't seen since high school." CeCe took advantage of this opportunity, "This guy Steven is supposed to be there. Last I heard, he got a job working for admissions after he graduated."

"At UPenn?" Spencer's face lit up.  
  
"Yeah." CeCe nodded curtly.  
  
"That is great. That is awesome!" Spencer exclaimed as she picked up her college application, "Can we please go talk to him? I could just bring my application-"  
  
"I really wasn't planning on going." CeCe blatantly lied, "It's not really my scene."  
  
Two familiar auburn irises glared directly at CeCe, with the same pleading expression that Melissa gave her when she desired an extra scoop of toffee-flavored ice-cream or another slice of pepperoni pizza.   
  
"Oh. You're not going to stop staring at me like a lost puppy until I say yes, are you?" CeCe relented when Spencer shook her head, "Fine. We'll go. Meet me at seven outside the boutique."  
  
"Thank you so much!" Spencer thanked the blonde profusely.   
  
"Okay. Bye, lovelies." CeCe smiled as she headed toward the exit.  
  
"Thank you!" Spencer called out, "Bye!"  
  
Walking across the street, CeCe wore a smug grin. Spencer was already hanging on every word that the blonde said, trusting the sophisticated young woman's judgment and guidance. Puffing her chest out confidently as she strutted into the boutique, CeCe felt a bit of pride, knowing that she was capable of enthralling both of the prudish Hastings sisters. 

* * *

The drive to the Kahn estate was afflicted with an awkward silence. Spencer and Aria didn't seem comfortable enough to engage in a discussion with CeCe throughout the trip, and the blonde was too nervous to fill the lull between the short conversations. All she could think about was seeing Eric again, one of her most meaningful casual flings before she started dating Melissa.  
  
It felt as though CeCe was betraying Melissa somehow, simply by attending a party without the dark-haired girl. Being secret lovers had completely lost its thrill, a fact that CeCe feared was chipping away at the strength of their relationship.  
  
After making a turn, the Kahn cabin came into view, flashing lights and loud music indicated that the festivities had already commenced. CeCe parked her crimson convertible vehicle near the edge of the property.  
  
"So, they're coming back to a party at Rosewood?" Spencer's voice broke the quietude.  
  
"You never know what you're going to get. People either love you or they don't remember your name." CeCe stepped out of the automobile, "Look at Jason, he won't return my phone calls, and we dated for how long?"  
  
"Jason's just going through a really rough time right now." Spencer replied vaguely.  
  
It bothered CeCe that the young brunette was making excuses for Jason's uncaring behavior while condemning Melissa for any minor transgression.  
  
"Apparently." CeCe rolled her eyes.  
  
"Wait. I've been here before." Aria surveyed the premises, "We both have. This is Noel Kahn's cabin."  
  
"Yeah, Eric does have a little brother, doesn't he?" CeCe twirled around as she led them to the cabin, "Tell me, does douchebaggery run in the family?"   
  
Unlike her older sister, Spencer wasn't amused by CeCe's jokes. She gave the golden-haired woman a forced laugh.   
  
"Is Noel going to be here?" Spencer murmured to Aria.  
  
"I'm betting he doesn't think we are." Aria whispered back.  
  
"Something wrong?" CeCe inquired.  
  
"No. Nothing." Aria shrugged, "Just weird history with Noel."  
  
"What kind of weird history?" CeCe asked.  
  
"They used to date." Spencer chirped.  
  
"I wouldn't exactly call it..." Aria chose her next statement carefully, "It ended really badly."  
  
"Oh, so it does run in the family." CeCe leaned on Aria, "Listen, I understand the hex of the ex, believe me, but Noel's gonna be one of two hundred people at this party, if he even shows. And we drove all this way, so I say we go in, find Steven and give him your application, and if it's totally awkward we can bail, okay?"  
  
Strolling right up to Eric's bouncer, the blonde affectionately guided the girls to the front entrance, her hands brushed against their arms.  
  
"CeCe Drake." The blonde announced, "And I brought friends."  
  
Extending her arm, CeCe received an imprint on her wrist. She glanced at Aria and Spencer, urging them to follow suit.  
  
"Stamp me." Aria mimicked CeCe's actions.

"Thanks." CeCe smiled at the bouncer once Spencer's hand was stamped.  
  
With a dramatic flair, CeCe rushed toward the cabin, Spencer and Aria trailed behind. The young brunettes were whispering about the stamps, apparently intrigued with them.  
  
"Hello, everyone!" CeCe swung herself through the doorway.  
  
Falling back to her old habits, the blue-eyed socialite greeted everyone at the party warmly. With soft giggles, playful winks, and tight hugs, all the guests at Eric's party were charmed by CeCe Drake once more.  
  
"Ladies!" CeCe called out to Aria and Spencer, who were mumbling amongst themselves.  
  
"Did you find Steven?" Spencer was still impatient, holding her college application inside a folder.  
  
"Hon, you gotta meet the guy before we shove your stuff in his face." CeCe snatched the folder from Spencer's hands, "Don't worry. I'll get it where it needs to go. Game room. Follow me."  
  
Maneuvering through the crowd, CeCe led the girls into the game room. She needed them to keep busy with something, to distract Aria and Spencer while she messaged Melissa to contact her friend in the student admissions office at the University of Pennsylvania. The blonde also had to retrieve Maya's handbag.  
  
"Looks like Eric Kahn's still playing Truth or Dare." CeCe teased a raven-haired man in the center of the room.  
  
"Okay, it's official: You were right about the blazers." Spencer muttered to Aria.  
  
"CeCe Drake, back from the dead." Eric approached them, beaming from the joy of seeing CeCe again, "How the hell are you?"   
  
"Worse, now that I'm seeing you, Eric." CeCe jested, "But thanks for asking."  
  
"That's no way to treat the host. Hm." Eric leered at Spencer and Aria, "But you've brought a virgin sacrifice, so all is forgiven."  
  
"These are my ducklings, so play nice." CeCe warned, feeling protective of the girls.  
  
"You're mean when you're cute." Eric joked, Only rule of the game room is you gotta play to stay. Other than that, dad's finest is right here. Help yourself."  
  
Eric's blue irises sparkled with mischief, and a large grin decorated his face. He was impossibly handsome, raven hair and broad shoulders. CeCe had always enjoyed when the young man complimented her. It alleviated the only insecurity that Melissa could not, her validity as a woman.  
  
Although CeCe loved her girlfriend, a part of the blonde's mind resented Melissa for remembering Charles. She didn't know how to talk to the dark-haired woman about her discerning doubts. A thought that plagued her mind, the trepidation that Melissa loved the memory of a boy and she was simply settling for CeCe, the female remnants of Charles.  
  
"Doesn't look like Steven's here yet." CeCe walked to the snack table, "Don't worry, he will be. Relax, take a load off. Can I make you a drink?"   
  
"Uh, no, thank you." Spencer declined.  
  
"No one's gonna narc on you." CeCe offered, "I've seen cops do way worse in this room."   
  
"Yeah. Still no." Spencer insisted on remaining sober.  
  
Pouring whiskey into a cup, CeCe craved alcohol, to numb the voices in her head that reminded the blonde of distressing insecurities. Strong liquor would help CeCe forget that she might never be enough for Melissa Hastings.  
  
"Oh." CeCe noticed two half-naked people on the couch, "Girl in bra, boy in boxers. Did we skip truth and head straight to dare, or...?"  
  
"Stephanie was warm, Alex was being Alex." Eric chimed in.  
  
"Well, in that case, I challenge you to a round of Truth." CeCe missed bickering with Eric.  
  
"All right, CeCe. We're playing one-on-one truth rounds." Eric accepted the challenge, "You get caught in a lie, it's sayonara, sweetheart."  
  
"This ain't my first rodeo, Eric." CeCe flounced on the couch in front of Eric.  
  
"It's your last night on earth. Who in this room do you sleep with?" Eric smirked, his intentions were clear.  
  
Cerulean eyes roamed across the room, looking for a guest who could serve as a punchline. Eric was provoking a specific response from CeCe, one that he would never get, at least not in front of Spencer and Aria.

"Suraci." CeCe smirked at the broody young man who sat on a stool behind Eric, "No one deserves to die a virgin."  
  
Laughter erupted in the game room, and for an instant, CeCe felt bad for Suraci. Her guilt faded when Eric chuckled, clearly smitten by his former girlfriend's antics.  
  
"Have you ever been arrested?" CeCe batted her eyelashes.  
  
"Funny you ask that since you dared me to steal a car last time we played and then called the cops." Eric quipped.  
  
"I did, didn't I?" CeCe giggled, "Yep."   
  
"Ever make a sex tape?" Eric's played his winning move.  
  
It was a question that Eric knew the answer to. He had seen the N.A.T. video recording that depicted Melissa Hastings have a sexual encounter with a blonde. The young man was grinning widely, expecting CeCe to confirm his hypothetis, that Melissa had been with her, the golden-haired girl in the footage.  
  
"We're up next! Me and Montgomery."  
  
CeCe twisted her head around, surprised that Eric's little brother, Noel, was standing in front of Aria and Spencer. The green-eyed vixen, Jenna Marshall, was permanently attached to his side. Eric and CeCe scooted over, allowing the younger guests to begin their game.  
  
With a timer in his hand, Eric waited until Aria and Noel sat in front of each other. Face to face, hazel irises glared into cobalt eyes. CeCe remained seated next to Alison's friends, lost in her own thoughts.  
  
"Go." Eric declared, starting the timer with an audible click.  
  
"Where did you meet your current boyfriend?" Noel showed an interest in revealing Aria's secret relationship with Ezra.  
  
"At a bar." CeCe frowned at Aria's response, Ezra Fitzgerald was still flirting with underage girls with fake identification cards, "Did you ever invite Maya St. Germain to any of these parties?"  
  
"Geez, you're morbid." Noel sneered, This is a party, Aria. Ask me how many sexual partners I've had."  
  
"Just answer the question." Spencer persisted.  
  
"She came to a few. She had an open invite." Noel complied, disinterested in talking about Maya.  
  
"You ever have sex with your teacher?" Noel snickered.  
  
"No. I never had sex with my teacher." Aria stated firmly.  
  
"Bull." Noel snarled.  
  
"It's my turn." Aria proclaimed, "How do you know Maya?"  
  
"Hot new girl and she likes the ladies and she moves into the DiLaurentis house." Noel and Eric both had a creepy fascination with bisexual women, "Everyone knew Maya. You ever frame anyone for, say, stealing answer sheets to the mid-terms? Maybe you had access to a certain teacher-"  
  
"That wasn't me." Aria interjected hastily, "Where were you the night that Alison's grave was dug up?"  
  
"Seriously? You're really asking me that? I-I don't even know what night that was." Noel stuttered.  
  
"Friday right before Labor Day." Spencer clarified.  
  
"I don't know." Noel feigned ignorance, "I guess I was here."   
  
It was a pointless lie, CeCe knew the truth. Noel was with Jenna on the night that the corpse in Alison's grave was stolen. She had seen a dark-haired male with the brunette when Emily was almost run down by Jenna's blue Ford Mustang automobile.   
  
"I can vouch for that. He came, then..." Eric gestured to Jenna, "Showed, and they left."  
  
"You know I can see you now." Jenna felt insulted.   
  
"Thanks, Eric." Noel knew that his older brother had revealed his secret.  
  
"Anytime, bro." Eric patted Noel's knee with fraternal affection.  
  
"Why don't you tell us all who your boyfriend is and what he did for a living during the first few months of your relationship?" Noel turned his head toward Aria.  
  
"It's okay, Aria." Jenna added with a smirk, "We already know the answer."  
  
"Time." Eric chirped.  
  
"You are so next." Spencer growled at Jenna.  
  
Tears swelling in her olive-green eyes, Aria stormed out. She was overwhelmed with the knowledge that everyone was aware of her entanglement with Ezra. Spencer rushed after her, leaving CeCe alone on the couch.

Using this opportunity, CeCe sent Melissa a message, asking her girlfriend about the status of Spencer's college application. She had asked the brunette to submit an pre-acquired copy of her little sister's documents earlier in the morning, after CeCe had met with Spencer and Aria at the coffee shop. Melissa was at the University of Pennsylvania, attending classes and studying for exams. The dark-haired woman had promised to find her associate in the student admissions office and get Spencer's application processed today.  
  
"It's done."  
  
A short reply from Melissa indicated that the deed had been accomplished. CeCe only had to investigate the contents of Maya's handbag, and pretend to deliver Spencer's envelope to the nonexistent "Steven."  
  
Running outside of the game room, CeCe spotted Spencer and Aria near the exit, arguing about something.  
  
"There you guys are!" CeCe exclaimed, "Is everything okay, Aria? Things got a little vicious in there. Oh. You are so much prettier than Jenna. Honestly, I don't get what the fuss is about."  
  
"Thanks." Aria was clearly annoyed, eyes darting between CeCe and Spencer.  
  
"Oh." CeCe turned to Spencer, "Jenna just said she's about to leave, so if you want to get that round in, you better go quick."  
  
Resorting to lying was CeCe's main strategy when it came to everything, but she wanted to get back to her loft. She missed Melissa and it was already getting late. She didn't need Aria and Spencer to continue loitering around with their unwarranted dramatics.  
  
"I'll be fine, okay?" Aria encouraged Spencer. "Really. I've got a boyfriend on speed-dial who can come and get me, so go. Go talk to her."  
  
Throwing her arms around the small brunette, Spencer hugged Aria tightly. The display of friendship triggered the blonde. A pang of pain throbbed against CeCe's chest. She felt guilt for being here with Eric, reveling in his attention, while Melissa waited for her to return to the apartment.  
  
Spencer pulled back and retreated back inside, making her way to the game room. CeCe sauntered toward the snack table, pouring more whiskey into her cup and slugging it down in one gulp. Melissa's sister confronted Jenna and Noel, leading them to the couch. The blonde leaned on an armrest behind Eric, intently looking at the formerly blind girl. The click of the timer initiated the battle between emerald irises and chocolate eyes.  
  
"Why is your mother defending a murderer?" Jenna was surprisingly perceptive.  
  
"Because she thinks that Garrett's innocent." Spencer was at least loyal to her own mother, "Maybe Maya's murderer is still at large."  
  
"You don't think it's because he started dating your sister?" Jenna's comment made CeCe's blood boil.   
  
The green-eyed witch dared to accuse Melissa of wrongdoing when she had molested her own step-brother. CeCe gritted her teeth, trying to keep her expression neutral.  
  
"I think you're gonna have to wait your turn." Spencer deflected, "What you told us about Emily, you never mentioned that Noel was with you that night. What else did you lie about?"  
  
Jenna felt CeCe's stare, she threw a quick glance at the blonde, unnerved by the cold disdain that she saw in the other girl's cerulean eyes.  
  
"You know what mutually assured destruction is, right?" Jenna avoided Spencer's question, "You promised me something the day I told you about Emily. Are you going to keep that promise?"  
  
"Where did you find Emily?" Spencer rephrased her inquiry.  
  
"It's funny. I'm starting to wonder where she was when you found her." Jenna stalled.  
  
"Just answer the question." Spencer snapped.  
  
"We were trying to help your friend, okay?" Noel stepped in to defend Jenna, "We saw her at some diner, drunk off her ass-"  
  
"Oh." Spencer interrupted, "You found her in a diner, not in the middle of the road."   
  
"Well, the "drunk off her ass" part is true." Jenna chuckled, "You get her that way?"  
  
"No." Spencer retorted, "Did you?"  
  
"No." Jenna spat.  
  
"So, why did you lie?" It was ironic to see Spencer demanding sincerity.

"I lied because I was trying to protect someone. Isn't that why you lied about your parents' lake house?" Jenna knew more than CeCe expected, "Don't worry, that was rhetorical. This isn't: Where is the video?"  
  
"What video do you mean?" Spencer played dumb, "There is more than one."  
  
It had to be a bluff. CeCe made sure that no one had any incriminating videos against Melissa.  
  
"You know which one." Jenna grew anxious, "Where is it?"  
  
"It's safe." Spencer reassured Jenna.  
  
"Where?" Jenna roared.  
  
"I want to know where Ali's body is, and if you can tell me that, you can have all the damn videos you want." Spencer gave her closing argument as the timer went off.  
  
"Oops. Time's up." Jenna ended the discussion and stood up abruptly.  
  
Whiskey. Vodka. Tequila. A cocktail of all three. CeCe was in the mood to forget. She abandoned Spencer in the game room, staggering across the cabin in search of Maya's handbag. She knew that it was in some loose floorboard, but the inebriated girl couldn't remember which one.  
  
In pursuit of the blonde, Eric grabbed her wrist. CeCe stumbled into his arms. Her handbag slipped out her grasp, falling onto the floor. The young man held her lovingly, the palm of the blonde's hand pushed against his strong chest. He looked down at her, leaning in for a kiss.  
  
It would be so easy to give into Eric's advances, to close the distance between their lips. The party host could kiss her in front of everyone, he would play the role of a blue-eyed prince who pronounced his feelings for CeCe Drake publicly. Eric could make her believe that she was a princess, a woman who had won the affection of a man, as society deemed normal, a validation that CeCe had always dreamed of obtaining.  
  
"S-Stop." CeCe pulled back when his mouth was a mere inch away from her face.  
  
CeCe did not want a prince. She craved acceptance, but the handsome man holding the blonde meant nothing to her. With eyes that were too blue, raven hair that was not long enough, a flat chest that was too hard, and a face that didn't make her heart skip a beat, Eric Kahn was a fraud. No one was capable of replacing Melissa Hastings, and not even an entire liquor cabinet would change that.  
  
"I'm sorry, Eric." CeCe apologized, "I don't feel the same way."  
  
Eric straightened himself out, a glimmer of sadness flashed across his eyes. With a sad smile, the dark-haired man released his grip on CeCe's arms.  
  
"There is someone else." Eric grinned, his expression regained its usual glint of mischief, "But I bet that it's complicated, right?"  
  
"Yes." CeCe confirmed with a tentative smirk.  
  
"Even when we were dating." Eric bowed down and picked up CeCe's black purse, "Even when you were kissing other guys. Even when you were toying with Jason DiLaurentis."  
  
"Hm?" CeCe tilted her head in confusion.  
  
"I could tell. There was someone else on your mind. CeCe Drake, the unsolvable puzzle." Eric chuckled, "I always wondered why you were such a tease."  
  
"Well, figured that out, finally." CeCe joked, fidgeting with one of her golden curls.  
  
"Excuse me?" Eric laughed.  
  
"Hey." Spencer popped up, "I've been looking everywhere for you."  
  
"Oh." CeCe looked at Eric nervously, afraid that he would bring up the private subject of their conversation in front of Spencer, "Oh."  
  
"Good luck." Eric whispered as he disappeared among the multitude.  
  
"Okay, here I am." CeCe turned to Spencer, "What's wrong?"   
  
"What's wrong?" Spencer crossed her arms, "Aria left, I don't know anybody at this party, you're my ride, and I couldn't find you anywhere."  
  
"I was a little preoccupied." CeCe giggled.  
  
"Okay. Why did you really bring me here? There's no UPenn guy who works at admissions anywhere in this cabin." Spencer's accusatory tone was borderline offensive to CeCe, "Was this just some excuse so you could hook up with Eric?"  
  
A light chuckle slipped out of CeCe's mouth. Spencer's presumptuous attitude was alarmingly rude.  
  
"Can I please just have my application back?" Spencer requested.  
  
"No, you can't." CeCe shook her head, "Steven has it."

"What?" Spencer was confounded.  
  
"You left the game room after your round with Jenna. Steven showed up for all of two minutes, slipped out." Eric's sentiments had brightened her mood, "I gave him your application, I told him how smart you are. We had a lovely chat. It's probably in the "on time" pile as we speak right now."  
  
"You had a lovely chat with Steven about how smart I am?" Spencer didn't seem to believe CeCe's fabricated tale.  
  
The concoction of alcoholic beverages had taken a toll on CeCe, so her ability to lie was dwindling. Steven was the name of Eric Kahn's father, so it wasn't like the person didn't exist, he was just currently out of town.  
  
"Yes." CeCe nodded.  
  
Melissa tended to discuss how intelligent and clever her younger sibling was, which meant that CeCe was barely lying, just embellishing the truth.  
  
"Okay, can we please just get out of here?" Spencer whined.  
  
"What?" CeCe hadn't located Maya's handbag yet.   
  
"We both got what we came for, right?" Spencer begged, "So can we please just go?"  
  
"Yeah." CeCe was irritated, "Let's go."  
  
Departing from the Kahn estate without achieving her intended goal, CeCe's stomach churned. A mixture self-hatred and liquor, bubbling into a sickening brew.   
  
The golden-haired woman refused to speak to Spencer for the rest of the night, leaving her in front of the Diva Dish. The brunette's suburban utility vehicle was parked near the boutique, CeCe only waved at Spencer as she drove off, trying to make her way back to the apartment without straying from the road.  
  
Clear streets, lamp posts with flickering lights, the unwinding path was lonely and desolate. The moon gazed down upon CeCe, ashamed that the blonde had almost jeopardized her relationship with Melissa for the fleeting sensation of appearing conventional to the rest of the world. CeCe had to see her girlfriend, she needed to make amends before her guilt engulfed her completely.


	20. A Girl Misses The Signs

Chapter 20

A Girl Misses The Signs

* * *

 

Darkness prevailed inside the loft, not a single light was on. Vacant and cold, there was no sign of life, a desolate apartment. Although CeCe acknowledged that she had returned to her residence at some ungodly late hour, a part of her soul still sought out Melissa for comfort.   
  
The blonde willed her heavy feet to walk across the living room, questioning her knees’ ability to hold her steady. Her body finally processed the outrageous amount of alcohol that CeCe had consumed. The effects were harbored in her limbs and her joints.   
  
CeCe's stomach felt tight, her muscles coiled, and her legs were tense. Chill air flowing from the apartment curled around her, causing a shiver to go down the young woman's spine.  
  
"CeCe?" An elegant voice beckoned out to the blonde.  
  
From behind the shadows, Melissa's silhouette emerged. She turned on a lamp, her face contorting from a worried expression into a concerned grimace. CeCe averted her eyes, lowering her head down, trying to hide her redshot retinas.  
  
"What's wrong?" Melissa asked tentatively, taking a step toward CeCe.  
  
A hand reached out to stroke the blonde’s shoulder. CeCe shrugged her off, flinching away from Melissa's touch. She wasn't worthy of the raven-haired woman's affection.   
  
"I a-almost k-kissed Eric Kahn. He held me at the party, and then l-leaned into me. I almost let him kiss me." CeCe blurted out, her words jumbled and slurred, "B-But I didn't. I c-couldn't."  
  
Her confession was met with a profound silence. CeCe didn't dare glance at her girlfriend. She wanted to explain herself first.  
  
"E-Eric can kiss me in public." CeCe was unable to form a coherent sentence, "And he only sees me as a g-girl. I hate that you know Charles. I'm n-not him, I'm not a handsome boy that you can bring home to your parents."   
  
Breathing turned into panting. CeCe was unsure of the conviction behind her accusations. Her body shook and her heart pounded. The golden-haired woman was angry at Melissa for loving Charles.  
  
"But I don't want Eric." CeCe choked on her constricted throat, "I only w-want you, even if y-you don't want me."  
  
With tears streaming down her cheek, CeCe's head throbbed. She was reluctant to look at Melissa, afraid to find anger and resentment in those two auburn eyes. CeCe's hand rose to her breast bone, feeling her heart’s strange disruption thrumming there. Her lungs refused to take in air, quickly depleting her body of oxygen as her blood rushed away from her brain.  
  
CeCe burrowed her face in Melissa's raven curls, sobbing incessantly, her shrill cries threatened to waken the spirits of the dead.  
  
Strong hands gently massaged the blonde’s back, relaxing the tense muscles there. Melissa was comforting her, in light of her romantic encounter with Eric Kahn, despite her hysterical outburst. It only made CeCe feel worse. It wasn't the brunette's fault, she had fallen in love with the masks that the golden-haired girl wore.  
  
Sweat beaded over CeCe’s forehead as she wept. Skin grew hotter, smoldered, her breathing labored and strained. Her hands clutched the neckline of Melissa's shirt, nuzzling against the taller woman's chest.   
  
The brunette's arms were firmly wrapped around her, encasing CeCe in a protective embrace. Melissa hummed into her girlfriend's ear, muttering reassuring phrases, and pressing loving pecks against the shorter woman's hair.  
  
CeCe leaned back slowly, afraid to look into the brunette's eyes. She was terrified of what she would find there. When CeCe became brave enough to shift her gaze in Melissa's direction, she was dumbfounded. The raven-haired woman's head was cocked to the side, evaluating her in a calm, reflective manner.

"Y-You should be mad at me." CeCe whimpered, "I-I almost cheated. Why a-aren't you angry? Why aren't you saying anything?"  
  
The two chestnut-brown irises continued to shine only with adoration and love. It didn't make sense to CeCe. She took a deep breath; her thoughts were scrambled like a bunch of puzzle pieces that didn't fit. The blonde felt dizzy, her feet struggling to maintain a steady balance. CeCe's heavy eyelids fluttered, and she felt herself sinking to the ground.  
  
"Hold on, Ce." Melissa ordered, "I've got you."  
  
Melissa snaked her arms around the shorter woman's torso, latching CeCe in a secure hold, as she prevented her from falling down.  
  
"You haven't been taking your pills." Melissa sighed, "I should have intervened sooner. This is my fault. I ignored all the signs."  
  
A palm pushed against Melissa's chest, trying to wedge a small distance between them. CeCe refused to believe that her doubts held no validity.  
  
"N-No, it's not that..." CeCe tried to explain her concerns, "I'm scared that you love me b-because I was Charles, that you prefer him, that you just like men..."  
  
CeCe's statement trailed off, afflicted by a round of hiccups. Fatigue and alcohol were the cause of these ramblings. She was flushed, a loud buzz rang in her ears that wouldn't stop.  
  
"Stop saying ridiculous things. My fleeting crush on Charles pales in comparison to my feelings for you." Melissa dispelled all of CeCe's insecurities with a few sincere words, "I wouldn't be here if I didn't love you, CeCe."  
  
Melissa was no fool. She knew that CeCe had not been taking her medication. These conflicting thoughts were the result of her girlfriend's unmanaged condition. The brunette had to dissipate noise, quiet CeCe's nonsensical raid of worries.   
  
Procuring a handkerchief from her pocket, Melissa gently dabbed at the tears that seemed to endlessly drip from the smaller woman's cheeks. Sniffling loudly through agitated nostrils, the blonde's chest swelled with an affection that she couldn't convey.  
  
"If you have any more doubts, come to me." Melissa cupped CeCe's face, brushing away the blonde's tears with her thumbs, "Don't give in to the voices that torment you, okay?"  
  
A solemn nod, CeCe's arms circled around her girlfriend's neck. She tucked her head under the taller woman's chin. CeCe held on to Melissa, her pupils dilated, her heart thumping.   
  
"This will all feel so ridiculous in the morning after the alcohol wears off." Melissa teased, "Come on, let's get you to bed."  
  
Melissa guided her girlfriend toward the bed. CeCe's legs were wobbling, exhaustion crashing through her small frame. She didn't want to risk the chance that the vulnerable woman would faint in her arms.  
  
"My head hurts." CeCe mumbled as she swayed in the brunette’s hold, her fingers hooking around Melissa's shirt, "I'm so tired."  
  
A chuckle escaped Melissa's parted lips. She grabbed CeCe's wrists, detaching her sweater from her own body from the golden-haired girl's grip. With a couple of patient nudges, Melissa helped CeCe climb onto the mattress.  
  
CeCe attempted to kick off her heels, her drunken stupor rendered her uncharacteristically clumsy. Melissa kneeled down, removing each stiletto and unzipping the blonde's dress. She slide the red fabric along the length of CeCe's body, pooling at her ankles where the raven-haired woman yanked it off. Lifting the bedsheets, Melissa helped her girlfriend settle underneath them.   
  
"I d-didn't kiss Derik, I promise." CeCe muttered as Melissa laid the duvet bedding on top of her, "I-I'm sorry."  
  
"You mean Eric?" Melissa giggled softly, bending forward to peck CeCe's cheek, "Don't worry, babe. The severity of your hangover will be punishment enough."

In spite of the pointless torment that the blonde's mental condition had inflicted on her, CeCe was still able to smile. Her head was always at ease when it rested on the taller woman’s chest. CeCe's breathing continued to slow down, and her tense body relaxed when Melissa pressed a kiss to her forehead. The golden-haired woman listened to the brunette’s heartbeat for several long minutes. The rhythm CeCe found there soothed her weary spirit, granting her peace and creating an hypnotizing melody as Melissa drew in small breaths. In that moment, CeCe knew that she had never deserved to be loved by Melissa Hastings. 

* * *

Invading sunrays entered through the bedroom window. The bright light warmed CeCe's face, awakening her in a harsh manner. The beams intensified the pounding in her head. She pulled a pillow over her face, any amount of luminosity made every blood vessel in her skull scream in protest. CeCe moaned into her cushion, burying herself into the mattress.  
  
For a few minutes, she laid on the bed. CeCe stretched her limbs, discovering an ache in her back. She spotted a glass of water on a table within reach, next to two tablets of aspirin. CeCe popped the pills in her mouth and drank thirstily, the cool fluid wetting her throat. Her empty stomach grumbled, starving for food in spite of her alcoholic consumption from the night before.   
  
A door creaked open, and Melissa entered slowly. She had a tray in her hands, with two plates of pancakes and a coffee mug. The brunette beamed widely at CeCe, taking a seat at the corner of the mattress.  
  
“Good morning!” Melissa chirped, "I brought you breakfast, because although most people don't have an appetite during a hangover, you my dear, are the only exception."  
  
The events from the day before slowly returned to the surface of CeCe’s mind. A never-ending amount of hard liquor, Eric Kahn almost kissing her, and sobbing in Melissa's arms, memories that resurfaced all at once. She remembered the confusion and the voices that whispered self-deprecating phrases into her thoughts.  
  
"I'm s-sorry about last night." CeCe stuttered.   
  
"Not a problem." Melissa chuckled softly, arching an eyebrow at her, "Unless you actually did kiss Eric?"  
  
“Of course not!” CeCe bellowed, startling herself, "I didn't, I swear."  
  
"I'm just messing with you, Ce." Melissa scooted closer, pressing her lips to the blonde's forehead, "I love you, babe."  
  
"I love you too, Mel." CeCe murmured sincerely.  
  
Using her bare hands, CeCe grabbed a pancake from the plate, devouring it with a few bites. She felt ravenous, and Melissa's cooking was sublime. The blonde washed down her meal with a sip from coffee mug, reaching out to snatch another pancake.  
  
"Slow down, darling." Melissa giggled, "You might choke on a pancake, and that's an incredibly embarrassing way to die."  
  
The dark-haired woman shifted on the mattress, crawling her away up to the headboard, and lying beside CeCe. One elbow propping her up, Melissa was amazed at how resilient her girlfriend's digestive system was.  
  
Ignoring Melissa's advice, the blonde stuffed two more pancakes into her mouth, chewing them an intentionally obnoxious manner, purposely mocking her girlfriend.  
  
"So..." Melissa smirked playfully, "Did you get Maya's handbag?"  
  
Cerulean eyes widened in shock, CeCe swallowed down her food hastily. She finished her coffee with a couple of gulps.  
  
"I'm guessing that's a resounding _no_." Melissa snickered.  
  
"I didn't have a chance to find it because _your sister_ was in a hurry to leave." CeCe quipped, "I still have time to go back there."

CeCe climbed out of bed, her feet touched the cold floor hesitantly, her head spinning slightly. She slowly rocked her weight to her feet, seeing that she was fit to stand, took a step forward.  
  
Her body was fully functioning, except for a small knot on her head was the remainder of yesterday’s drunken incident.   
  
"Are you okay, Ce?" Melissa sat up, crossing her legs, "Your hoodie is on the chair."  
  
Turning toward the chair, CeCe sighed gratefully. Her girlfriend had laid out some clothes for her, a black shirt, dark pants, gloves, and a hoodie. A packed bag was on the floor, with a flashlight, a red spray can, and other some tools.  
  
"Mel, you're the best." CeCe smiled warmly at her girlfriend, "You brought me all my things from the A-Lair even though you hate going there."  
  
"I rented a new apartment for the A-Lair, closer to town. The landlady is sweet." Melissa reported, "Even if her office is filled to the brim with cat figurines."  
  
"And you had time to make me breakfast." CeCe gushed.  
  
"Of course, I'm the Alfred to your Batman." Melissa puffed her chest out proudly in a comedic fashion.  
  
Surging forward, the blonde threw her arms around the taller woman's neck tightly, pulling her in for a scorching kiss, an effort to transmit how much Melissa meant to her. Leaning back, CeCe sighed contentedly, inhaling her girlfriend's perfume.   
  
"How much time do you have?" Melissa purred into CeCe's ear.  
  
"As much as it takes to wear you out." CeCe smirked suggestively.  
  
Coiling a hand on the back of the blonde's head, Melissa pressed a long kiss to CeCe’s mouth, gently nudging her lips apart with her tongue. The shorter woman responded readily, gently fighting against the Melissa's tongue. Their breathing hitched, and CeCe changed her course and slowed her tempo, kissing the brunette with beautiful tenderness, pouring emotion into each and every brush of her lips against the olive skin.   
  
CeCe changed direction again, coming back up to begin kissing along her clavicle and what little was exposed of her chest. Melissa gasped quietly, amazed by the gentle touches and kisses the her girlfriend bestowed upon her flesh. The dark-haired woman laid back on the bed, pulling blonde on top of her, prepared to delay CeCe by at least several hours.

* * *

A unidentifiable automobile is parked near the Kahn cabin. Red cups, empty chip bags, paper plates, all adorned the lawn, the remains of festivities that had occurred on the night before.  
  
CeCe left her red convertible vehicle at the outskirts of the property, behind the cover of tall trees. She pulled the hood of her sweater over her head, stealthily nearing an open window. Ear pressed against the glass, the blonde overheard two girls bickering.  
  
"Looks like someone's been staying here."  
CeCe recognized Hanna's voice coming from the inside.  
  
A person began rummaging around the window sill, forcing CeCe to duck down in order to avoid being seen.  
  
"Em." Hanna called out, addressing her companion.  
  
"Oh, my God." Emily gasped, "That's Maya's bag."  
  
Sighing to herself, CeCe was thoroughly annoyed. She could have retrieved the handbag last night, avoiding her present necessity to lurk in the shadows.   
  
With soft footsteps, CeCe peeked inside the cabin through the window a neighboring room. She needed to evade Hanna and Emily, but get near Maya's handbag and see what was inside.  
  
"For protection?" Emily asked.  
  
"I don't think she was gutting fish." Hanna quipped, "Who's L.J.?"  
  
From the corner of the doorway, CeCe had a clear view of Hanna and Emily. The brunette was holding a pocket knife, the item with the engraved initials of "L.J." CeCe hadn't really analyzed any of Maya's belongings when she first found the handbag.  
  
"No idea." Emily replied as she inspected the pocket knife.  
  
"Why would she have this?" Hanna pulled a card, giving it to Emily.  
  
"I gave this to Ali for her fourteenth birthday." Emily explained, "Maya must have found it in the box of Ali's things."  
  
"Em." Hanna muttered, passing a ticket to Emily.

CeCe remembered Maya's boarding pass, a trip to San Francisco sounded nice. If she ever resolved her pending issues in Rosewood, the blonde wanted to travel around the world with Melissa.    
  
Her anger flared up, Alison's friends were constantly getting in the way of her schemes. Figuring out Maya's murderer would have been easy if she had the contents of the deceased girl's handbag.  
  
"Maya never left Rosewood." Emily mumbled as she stared at the ticket.  
  
Out of an irrational impulse, CeCe slammed the door of the room where Hanna and Emily were at, jamming it close by wedging a screwdriver in the lock clasp. Gasps could be heard coming from within.  
  
While the girls panicked and scrambled toward the exit, wrestling with the doorknob, CeCe circled around the cabin. She closed the storm shutters on the window, fastening them securely with a bolt.   
  
It was exhilarating, the rush of being in control. Mona's stories, the electronic messages from Lucas throughout the years, Jenna's accident, everything confirmed that these girls were a menace. Alison's friends could not be trusted. They would always be a bunch of vicious bullies who reveled in harassing Spencer's older sister for imagined crimes.   
  
Shaking the can of aerosol paint, CeCe sprayed red letters on the side of the Kahn cabin, expecting Hanna and Emily to see the imprinted words whenever they escaped their temporary prison.  
  
"I'm saving you for later. - A"  
  
Based on all of CeCe's insight on the four enigmatic girls, it was clear that one of them had to be responsible for Bethany Young's death, but Melissa was the one who had everything to lose. It wasn't fair. CeCe vowed to make it her own personal vendetta to torment them in retaliation for their cruelty toward Melissa Hastings, for indirectly causing the death of the dark-haired woman's unborn child with their unfounded accusations. Sooner or later, Alison's treacherous friends would confess to their crimes, it was simply a matter of time.

* * *

A dimly illuminated loft, the lamps were all turned off, with the glow from the television providing the sliver of light for the two inhabitants lounging inside the residence.  
  
"L.J.?" Melissa mumbled through a mouthful of popcorn.  
  
Curled up in a fuzzy blanket on the couch, snuggling against her girlfriend's side, CeCe recounted what had transpired at the Kahn estate. Sprawled on top of the taller woman, CeCe's head rested on the brunette's shoulder, an arm draped over Melissa's stomach.  
  
Both women were casually viewing a movie, free from the stress of Rosewood's endless tirade of drama. Melissa and CeCe became lost in their own little universe, safely hidden within the confides of the blonde's apartment.   
  
CeCe had asked Melissa if she knew anyone with those initials, absentmindedly slipping her hand under the dark-haired girl's shirt. CeCe ran her fingers along the smooth, toned muscles that she encountered on Melissa's abdomen.  
  
"Yes, L.J." CeCe reaffirmed, "I don't know anyone with those initials."  
  
"Me neither." Melissa's eyes remained fixed on the television.  
  
A film known as _Heathers_ played on the screen, demanding Melissa's undivided attention. She was a fan of the cult classic and had been begging CeCe to watch it with her.  
  
At its essence, the story revolves around a cynical dark-haired teenager named Veronica Sawyer, and her struggle against three former friends, all of whom are named Heather. In a clique at an Ohio high school, the four girls are incredibly popular. Veronica meets a mysterious and attractive young man, Jason "J.D." Dean, a new student. Their mutual attraction is instant and sincere, resulting in a relatively unproblematic relationship, until J.D. becomes obsessed with the idea of murdering their fellow classmates, specifically targeting the ones who enjoy tormenting everyone else around them.

Near the end, Veronica and J.D. are at odds with each other. She refuses to allow her boyfriend to kill anyone else, which culminates into a showdown where the troubled boy loses his life and Veronica saves the school from his plan to detonate a bomb. It was a happy conclusion, unless you were rooting for J.D. to make amends with Veronica and resume their initially amicable relationship.  
  
"I d-didn't like the movie." CeCe muttered softly, "I prefer happy endings."  
  
The blonde twisted around Melissa's body so she could reach for the bowl on the taller woman's lap. CeCe munched on some popcorn quietly, the narrative of the film had evidently affected her.  
  
"I'll put on another movie." Melissa pecked CeCe's head tenderly, grabbing the remote control device, "How about _The Nightmare Before Christmas_? Halloween is right around the corner."  
  
Feeling a nod against her neck, Melissa clicked a series of buttons and made the required commands to play the lighthearted children's film. CeCe nestled in her arms, pressing a gentle kiss on the brunette's collarbone.  
  
Glancing down at her girlfriend, Melissa stared at the outline of CeCe's face. The faded light from the television screen flashed upon her cerulean eyes, giving them an iridescent glow. Her golden curls glimmered, in an ethereal manner that caused the raven-haired woman's heart to skip a beat, and she often wondered if the blonde was the reason behind her arrhythmia cardiac condition. Obtaining a new perspective on life, Melissa agreed with CeCe, she also preferred happy endings.


	21. A Girl Wrangles With A Snake

Chapter 21

A Girl Wrangles With A Snake

* * *

 

A large apartment close to town, the place that Melissa had rented as the new A-Lair was perfect. It was spacious, with an installed television, black hoodies on a coat hanger, and a fridge full of ice-cream, all courtesy of Melissa's attentiveness.  
  
CeCe smiled to herself, changing the channel from a news report on Garrett Reynolds. Hearing about Melissa's former fling was more irritating than the blonde cared to admit. She had more important topics to think about, a game show on the screen would serve as appropriate background noise.  
  
Using one of Mona's computer programs, CeCe had uncovered that there was no record of a person named Nate St. Germain studying at the Hollis College. It was a lie.

Names have power. Although some people consider their name to be simply a label, a term used for identification, there is a philosophical meaning behind the concept. In the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, the eponymous villain of the story is defeated when the heroine reveals his name.  
  
Given her own deceptive experience with names, CeCe was intrigued when she learned that a pocket knife in Maya St. Germain's purse was inscribed with the initials "L.J." It was clear that those letters didn't pertain to the deceased girl or to her girlfriend, Emily Fields.   
  
The blonde knew that L.J. might hold some significance, but she wasn't sure what it could be. As someone who hid behind the guise of CeCe Drake, the golden-haired woman contemplated the possibility that Nate St. Germain's real identity held the initials of L.J.   
  
A trunk show is an event in which vendors present merchandise directly to customers at a retail location, allowing them to preview and purchase products before they are made available to the general public.  
  
CeCe's place of employment was arranging to hold a trunk show, in order to help the boutique gain more customers. The Diva Dish was not attracting a lot of clients and its influx of revenue was dwindling.   
  
Since the store owner had placed her in charge of hosting the trunk show, CeCe decided to seize the opportunity. She would need models, a perfect excuse to interact with Alison's friends. With Melissa's friend at the University of Pennsylvania submitting  Spencer's college application on time, the young girl owed CeCe a favor.  
  
With a stack of printed flyers, CeCe headed to the high school. Melissa was busy with her college courses and exams, which meant that the blonde had preoccupy her time with a scheme. Snooping around with the black hoodie, acting the role of CeCe Drake, it all gave her a euphoric rush, a sense of control that she desperately craved.  
  
Smiles and giggles, the golden-haired woman strutted around the campus, sauntering over to the notice board. She pinned one of her flyers with a tack, spotting an approaching Spencer out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"Hey, CeCe!" Spencer greeted tentatively, "What are you doing?"    
  
"Panicking." CeCe quipped, "It's almost show time and I thought I had some help, but I never heard back from you."  
  
"That trunk show's tonight?" Spencer's eyes widened, "Oh, my God, I spaced."   
  
"Yeah. Yeah, you really did." CeCe agreed bitterly, "But don't sweat it, sweetheart. Hopefully there are some other fashionistas in this fleece-loving town that'll skip a kegger for a free belt."  
  
"I will be there, okay? I promise." Spencer reassured CeCe, "And I'll get all my friends to help you."  
  
"Thanks." CeCe grinned, "I was kind of hoping after that UPenn favor, I wouldn't have to ask twice."   
  
"I'm really sorry." Spencer apologized.  
  
"Do you have any rich friends I can put in the seats? I really need to rack up some serious cash...." CeCe's statement trailed off when she spotted Emily from a distance, walking with a girl that the young woman instantly recognized.  
  
CeCe leaned into Spencer, noting that her presence felt comforting. The younger brunette was similar to Melissa, enchanting the blonde in a similar way.   
  
"Whoa. Hold on." CeCe gasped, "Is Emily into her?"   
  
"Who? Paige? Yeah, they're dating." Spencer confirmed, "Why?"

Paige McCullers was a tall, brown-haired girl who had always accosted Alison. Instead of replying to the blonde's taunts with witty rebuttals, Paige had usually opted for physically assaulting Alison.   
  
Bitter rivals, it didn't help that both girls had spent years harboring a secret crush on Emily Fields. Considering that a conflict of interests existed among them, Alison and Paige hated each other profoundly. Never backing down from the athletic brunette's harassment, CeCe's little sister could be as territorial as Melissa, a small fact that brought a smile to the golden-haired woman's face.  
  
A pang in CeCe's chest, she felt protective of Alison's hidden feelings. She knew that Paige and Emily were not meant to be together, just like Wren and Melissa were doomed from the start. Both raven-haired girls were destined for a DiLaurentis daughter, a blue-eyed blonde that made their hearts flutter and their palms sweat, or perhaps, it was the prophetic fairy-tale that CeCe wanted to cling to.  
  
"Oh my God." CeCe was sincerely appalled, "That is seriously so messed up. If Alison were alive to see Emily cuddling up to Pigskin-"  
  
"Who is Pigskin?" Spencer interrupted.  
  
"Her." CeCe gestured toward Paige, "Alison and that wench had it out for each other."  
  
Spencer stared blankly at Paige and Emily for a few minutes. No doubt that she was overanalyzing everything that CeCe had said.  
  
"My boss placed me in charge of the trunk show, a bunch of new merchandise arrives today." CeCe explained, "There's no way I can unload all those boxes by myself. He guaranteed the shipment today. So, can you do it?"  
  
"Sorry, what?" Spencer had been dwelling on CeCe's comments about Paige.  
  
"After school?" CeCe asked, "Help me set up?"   
  
"Uh, yeah." Spencer nodded, "Yeah, sure."  
  
"Excellent." CeCe smirked, "Thanks."  
  
With an elegant wave, CeCe disappeared from Spencer's line of vision. All thoughts of figuring out who Nate St. Germain was and what the letters "L.J." meant were replaced by a new goal. Paige and Emily had to be separated.  
  
Alison would never return to Rosewood if she knew that the sole person that had ever touched her heart was in a relationship with Paige McCullers. CeCe would find a way to remedy this situation, it was the least that she could do for her beloved little sister.

* * *

Most costume shops were crowded in late October. People placing orders and browsing at disguises circulated throughout the stores. It was the perfect time to visit an establishment and ask questions without worrying about a clerk remembering your face.   
  
After discovering that Hector Lime had created masks of Joan of Arc with Alison's face, Melissa was still trying to figure out when CeCe's treasured sibling had embarked in such an endeavor. She wanted to know if the blonde was earning money to run away from the DiLaurentis household, selling her facial mold to other merchants because Hector had failed to provide her with enough capital.  
  
Swinging the door open to hear a chime ring out, a jingle announced that Melissa Hastings had entered the building. Hoping that she hadn't made an impression on the employees and patrons, Melissa glided toward the store counter.  
  
Crossed boots resting near the cash register, a clerk was reading a comic book, her appearance shrouded by the flimsy reading material. As the raven-haired woman stood directly in front of her, the shop attendant lowered the graphic novel, recognizing Melissa's dark eyes.  
  
"Well, hello there _Cinderella_."   
  
A familiar Southern accent addressed the brunette playfully. It was the same girl that Melissa had run into as she rushed out of the Masquerade Ball. Her black irises sparkled with mischief, and a grin was firmly plastered on her face.  
  
"I'm Shana." The flirtatious clerk extended her hand out, "Shana Fring."  
  
"Melissa. Melissa Hastings." The brunette shook Shana's hand, attempting to smirk with a matching confidence.  
  
"Well, Ms. _Hastings_." Shana drawled out Melissa's surname, "How may I be of service?"  
  
A blush spreading across her cheeks, Melissa tried to regain her composure. It was difficult to ignore Shana's suggestively arched eyebrow and the way that she had leaned into the store counter. She was a single foot away from Melissa.  
  
"D-Do you have a Joan of Arc mask?" Melissa's stutter had subtly indicated that Shana had successfully uncovered her sexuality.  
  
"Hm. No, I've never seen one." Shana shook her head, "But I think that your own face is _more than adequate_."  
  
"Well, I guess that I'll have to come up with another idea before Halloween." Melissa smiled, nodding as an affirmation that she was departing.   
  
The brunette was already going to be late to class, the journey to the University of Pennsylvania was about a two-hour drive from Rosewood.  
  
With an amused expression, Shana wrote something down on a piece of paper. She gave Melissa a wink, handing her the note.  
  
"The number to my mobile phone." Shana offered, "Call me if you need _help_ finding a new costume."  
  
Biting her lower lip nervously, Melissa accepted the slip of paper and turned to leave, almost slamming into a costume rack as she stumbled out of the shop. CeCe needed to stop worrying about her girlfriend's puzzling sexuality, since it was pretty apparent that Melissa felt a palpable attraction to women.

* * *

Rummaging through Paige's gym locker was utterly a waste of time. The volatile brunette didn't have a single piece of incriminating evidence, no trace of anything that CeCe could use against her.  
  
With an exasperated sigh, the blonde made her way to the exit. Two familiar voices argued, and CeCe ducked behind the door, peeking inconspicuously into the hallway.   
  
Spencer and Emily argued in the middle of the school corridor, unable to understand that everyone could clearly hear their entire conversation.   
  
"Alison had nicknames for half the people in this school." Emily sounded defensive, "That doesn't really qualify as having a history."  
  
"Okay, I get it, but according to CeCe, this was-"  
  
"Why are we suddenly trusting CeCe?" Emily interjected Spencer's explanation harshly.  
  
"Because Ali might have told her things that she couldn't tell us." Spencer reasoned.  
  
"I got to get to practice." Emily was upset.  
  
"Emily, look, you and Paige have been seeing each other on and off for almost a year, and you don't think it's a little odd that she's never mentioned anything about Ali to you?" Spencer retorted.  
  
"I think what's odd is watching history repeat itself." Emily sneered, "Alison loved pitting us against one another, and now CeCe swoops in-"  
  
"This isn't about CeCe, okay?" Spencer chimed in, "A friend of ours had an ongoing feud with someone whom we both know has a bit of a dark side."  
  
"Excuse me?" Emily almost growled.   
  
"I'm not accusing Paige of anything, but let's not forget, Emily, this girl once tried to drown you." Spencer persisted, "I don't think that was a love dunk."  
  
CeCe hand reached up to press against her mouth, stifling a chuckle. Spencer was as blunt as Melissa, the same fiery will that the blonde had fallen in love with. She slightly understood why Ian and Wren had been smitten with her.  
  
"There were other issues going on in her life back then." Emily justified Paige's violent tendencies.   
  
"Yeah, like being sneaky." Spencer quipped, "She also got you kicked off of the swim team. I'm not calling her a snake-"  
  
"Okay, are you finished?" Emily snapped, "Because I am."  
  
As Emily stormed off and abandoned Spencer in the middle of the corridor, CeCe gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. It was insulting that Emily found Paige more reputable than her. A macabre idea flashed through the golden-haired woman's mind. She knew how to change the current flow of the tide, to obligate Spencer into trusting CeCe. The notion that Emily had of Paige being a principled person was about to be fractured. 

* * *

Punctuality was a trait that all the members of the Hastings family valued, except apparently Spencer. The brown-eyed girl arrived at the Diva Dish a while after the specific time that she and CeCe had agreed upon. Rosewood Senior High had freed its students over an hour before the brunette showed up in front of the boutique.

Not like CeCe was in a position to complain, it turns out that snakes were wily even when their venom was rather useless. It had taken the blonde a few hours to place the serpent inside a box labeled "Belts." The irony amused CeCe, the meaning of her surname, Drake, and the identity of the creature that she had selected to conduct her ingenious plan.

Telling the driver of the shipment truck that she was waiting on an employee, CeCe added the package with the rest of the crates on the vehicle, and then began stalling.  
  
The scheme was simple, give Spencer a dress to change in for the trunk show, and plant a snake within a fitting room. When the creature slithered out of its box, CeCe would save the brunette from the deadly reptile, risking her life to help Spencer. The grand gesture had to win over the young girl, and CeCe would gain her unrelenting trust. The fact that Spencer had been referring to Paige as a "snake" in front of the school gym locker room would twist their suspicions toward Alison's nemesis, the secondary goal of CeCe's plot.  
  
"Aria is not free and I still have not heard back from Hanna." Spencer announced her arrival.  
  
Scrambling through crates of inventory when Spencer approached her, CeCe had to make sure that the dark-haired girl took the correct box into the fitting room with her.  
  
"But we have Emily?" CeCe knew the answer.  
  
"Uh, maybe not." Spencer admitted.  
  
"Oh, don't tell me she ditched us for Pigskin." CeCe quipped, "I need bodies here."   
  
"No, I get it." Spencer gave CeCe a sympathetic look, "It's just that I might have approached her in the wrong way."  
  
"You brought up Ali's war with her girlfriend, didn't you?" CeCe's heart fluttered with the knowledge that Spencer dared to confide in her, "Bad move, Spencer."  
  
"Well, what were they fighting about?" Spencer inquired.   
  
"Emily. One day, Alison tricked Paige into writing a love letter to Emily and then she intercepted the delivery. Ali snatched the paper from Paige's hands and then she blackmailed the girl with it." CeCe recounted the event.  
  
"What did she do with Paige's letter?" Spencer hung on every word that CeCe spoke.  
  
"Alison? Probably nothing." CeCe smirked, "She'd never admit this, but I think Ali was a little scared of that girl. Does wool make you itchy?"  
  
"N-No." Spencer accepted the box, "Where do I place this?"  
  
"In the fitting room, inside the first stall." CeCe batted her eyelashes innocently, "I left a cute, black dress for you. Try it on and tell me if it you want to wear it tonight, okay?"  
  
With a nod, Spencer made her way toward the shop, having memorized all of CeCe's directions and precise instructions.  
  
CeCe quieted down her conscious. The memory of how she and Alison had mocked Paige's sexual preferences weighed heavily on her mind. Both golden-haired girls had been hypocritical, teasing a person for the same quality that all three of them shared, being hopelessly in love with a painstakingly gorgeous brunette.  
  
Counting the boxes on the truck, CeCe wondered if she had missed unloading the real one with the belts while she was lost in her retrospective daydream. Rushing into the boutique, the blonde strutted toward the fitting room.  
  
"Spence, how many boxes do you have in there?" CeCe stood outside the stall where Spencer was changing.  
  
"Two. One says shoes, the other one says belts." Spencer answered.  
  
"Damn, we're missing one. I got to go stop him before he leaves." CeCe stealthily locked the door of Spencer's stall.  
  
CeCe hurried back outside, thankful that the truck hadn't left yet. She didn't want to be unemployed, especially since the fifty thousand dollars that Jason had paid for information on the corpse dug out of Alison's grave wouldn't last forever.  
  
"Did you forget something?" The gruff driver asked.  
  
Nodding and waving at the delivery man, she grinned warmly as he unveiled the back of the vehicle's storage crate.  
  
"Yeah, we're missing a box." CeCe declared, "It's labeled belts."  
  
"Here you go, Ms. Drake." The older man handed a box over to CeCe.  
  
"Thanks." CeCe didn't spare him a second glance as she sauntered to the fitting room.  
  
Stepping inside the boutique, muffled cries could be heard coming from the fitting room. CeCe placed the package on the store counter, sprinting toward Spencer's stall. She suspected that Melissa might bury CeCe alive in the DiLaurentis backyard if something happened to her baby sister, and the blonde would probably consent to the entombment.

"CeCe!" Spencer's hysterical screams made CeCe's stomach churn, "Stop it!"  
  
Unfastening the lock from the outside of the stall, the moment that CeCe opened the door, Spencer bolted through. Wielding a mannequin leg, the older girl smashed the snake, angry that she had permitted the malicious animal near Spencer to begin with.  
  
After the serpent laid dead on the floor, CeCe turned to face a trembling brunette. Spencer's eyes were puffy and red from sobbing. A twinge of guilt in her chest, CeCe wrapped her arms around the quivering girl, cradling her like a child.   
  
Spencer grasped onto CeCe's blouse, burrowing her face into the crook of the blonde's neck. She kept chanting curses and accusations directed at Paige, indicating that CeCe's scheme had worked. With a sigh, the golden-haired woman petted Spencer's curls, observing that her girlfriend's hair was softer and easier to rake her fingers through. The only mystery that CeCe would never be able to solve was the reason why a person would trade Melissa Hastings for anyone else in the world.

* * *

The indistinguishable scent of tomato sauce and warm bread contaminated the small apartment. Returning to her loft in Philadelphia for a quick break between classes, Melissa was surprised to find her girlfriend lounging on the couch, with two boxes full of pizza.  
  
"Hey!" CeCe smiled, "I got you pizza, I figured that you could use some dinner during your break."  
  
"Thanks, Ce." Melissa's stomach grumbled, "I'm starving."  
  
Walking toward the blonde with a smile on her face, she leaned down and pecked CeCe's lips, an affectionate greeting. Melissa flopped down on the nearest cushion beside her girlfriend, placing her handbag on the center table. She grabbed a paper plate, peering into the pizza box for a slice.  
  
"Why does this pizza have tiny bits of pineapple?" Melissa grimaced with disgust.  
  
"Because that one is mine, and it's Hawaiian." CeCe giggled, "Yours is in the box underneath. Pepperoni and extra cheese."  
  
Helping herself to a few slices of pepperoni pizza, Melissa reclined back on the armrest. She twisted around and rose her legs over CeCe's lap.   
  
"You know me so well, Ce." Melissa gushed.  
  
It was barely three in the afternoon, both women had a few hours of spare time. Munching on their meal, the girls sat in silence for a while, a different set of thoughts replaying in each of their heads.   
  
"Isn't that trunk show being held tonight?" Melissa wondered.  
  
"It is..." CeCe needed to choose her next words carefully, "Well, I sort of had to execute a plan, to earn Spencer's trust."  
  
"Alright." Melissa nodded, tossing her empty plate on the center table, "Let's hear it."  
  
"I placed a snake into her dressing room that looked like a venomous black mamba serpent, and then I killed it with a mannequin leg." CeCe confessed, dreading the incoming reprimands, "T-The snake was not a real black mamba, just looked similar to one."  
  
"A snake and a mannequin leg?" Melissa asked, tilting her head in confusion.  
  
"Yeah, but Spencer is safe." CeCe proclaimed firmly, "I promise."  
  
An unreadable expression dwelled on Melissa's face. She groaned for a few seconds. Shaking her head from side to side, Melissa suddenly burst into laughter. She giggled until tears developed at the corners of her eyes. The brunette scooted near her girlfriend, resting her head on CeCe's shoulder, draping an arm around the smaller woman's stomach.  
  
"You're such a mess." Melissa declared fondly, "But I love you anyways."  
  
CeCe felt the brunette shift, moving to untangle herself from the golden-haired woman's body. She reached for Melissa's arm, catching under the edge of her blazer's sleeve. The blonde circled her fingers around Melissa's wrist, pulling her girlfriend back. CeCe longed to taste those irreplaceable lips, the flavor that no one could compete with.

Blinking rapidly, Melissa was amused by the blonde's sense of urgency. She fell into CeCe, latching her hands on the petite woman's waist. Her fingers disappeared underneath CeCe's silk blouse, her knuckles idling stroking the ivory skin that she discovers there.   
  
CeCe made a noise low in her throat when Melissa palm pushed past her ribcage, stroking the underside of the blonde's breast. CeCe's chest rose on her next breath. She bit her lip, fighting to keep her eyes open. With a smirk, Melissa rubbed her thumb over a corner of CeCe's mouth, wiping the smeared make-up, her nail teasingly making a trail along the blue-eyed woman's jawline.  
  
Something inside of CeCe snapped, sheer arousal took control of her actions. She gripped Melissa by the lapels of her jacket, smacking their lips together in a kiss that threatened to consume them both. The blonde's hand tugged at the fabric, removing it from Melissa's torso. CeCe was surprised when a piece of a paper floated out from an inner pocket on the garment that dangled in her hold.  
  
"What's this?" CeCe ceased her machinations, releasing the brunette's coat onto the floor and holding the note.  
  
Her vision clouded, Melissa was unable to respond. She tried to slow down the thumping of her heartbeat, placing her hand to her breastbone.

Inspecting the note from Melissa's jacket, the blonde frowned. She huffed and showed the raven-haired woman the message inscribed on the paper, waving it between her fingers like a flag.  
  
"Why did someone named Shana Fring give you her mobile phone number?" CeCe growled, "With a little heart drawn on the i?"

CeCe brimmed with jealousy, she was gritting her teeth. Melissa could have sworn that the golden-haired girl's usually azure irises had turned into a dark shade of green.  
  
"CeCe, I was asking around about Alison's masks. Shana is the clerk at a costume shop, she flirted with me, and I wanted answers." Melissa explained calmly, "Isn't that what _you're always_ doing? Leading people on to further your goals?"  
  
"My _goal_ is to keep you safe!" CeCe's anguish was tangible in her voice, "And this is different because I only tease men a-and a girl might..."  
  
A sob was lodged in CeCe's throat, her eyes swelling with unshed tears. The blonde was petrified, the thought of Melissa falling in love with another girl, a young woman who could give her a normal life, it was harrowing.  
  
Propping herself on her knees, Melissa adjusted on the couch, giving CeCe some space. She extended an arm, her palm floated onto the blonde's shoulder in a reassuring manner.  
  
"Hey, calm down." Melissa cooed softly, "Look at me, please."  
  
Biting her lower lip, CeCe lifted her head, gazing at the brunette with a defeated demeanor. She felt as if her future was uncertain, only because the notion that Melissa could be attracted to other women was so alarming. CeCe had advocated for Melissa's bisexuality, wanting to be certain that the dark-haired girl was interested in females, but she now drastically regretted the sentiment.  
  
"I love you, Ce. I don't want any other man or woman." Melissa professed, "Only you, got it?"  
  
"S-Sorry, that was weird and..." CeCe rubbed her eyes, "Yeah, sorry for being so mercurial."  
  
"It's okay, Ce." Melissa grinned, "But we have only a few hours before you have to prep for the trunk show and I have to get to my afternoon classes."  
  
Without preamble, Melissa slipped her shirt off, her fingers unclasped the pin on her brassiere. Crawling across the couch, she hovered on top of CeCe. The blonde was hesitant to nestle against Melissa for an instant, but looking up at the taller woman's trustworthy eyes, CeCe wrapped her arms around the dark-haired girl's neck.   
  
Her hand gently traced over Melissa’s skin, the curve of her stomach and defined shape of her hips. The smaller woman settled her palm on the brunette's bare breast, stroking it tenderly. CeCe sighed into a messy mane of raven curls, making contented noises when Melissa’s fingers tore into her blouse, crinkling the article of clothing. A chuckle died in the blonde's mouth when Melissa nibbled on her lower lip. It didn't matter, CeCe needed a change of wardrobe anyways.


	22. A Girl Grows Weary

Chapter 22

A Girl Grows Weary

* * *

 

Belts, shoes, scarves, handbags, and dresses, every item was in its rightful place. The merchandise consisted mostly of prototypes, samples, remnants and leftover accessories from runway shows, but a small business had to flourish with some type of gimmick, and trunk shows were great publicity stunts for boutiques.  
  
Rushing around the store with her clipboard, CeCe had almost arranged all the products herself when Hanna and Spencer finally showed up to help. It was already dark outside when the girls arrived, CeCe had even considered cancelling the hectic event and retreated to Melissa's apartment. In the earlier afternoon, it had been hard to pry herself from the brunette's body, but just like Melissa was dedicated to her academic career, CeCe was always thoroughly devoted to a scheme.  
  
As CeCe began seeking out the perfect dress for each of Alison's friends, Hanna and Spencer were congregated near the back of the shop, whispering a few comments amongst themselves.  
  
"I figure the rack can be in the back, and you can change in the dressing rooms." CeCe informed them, giving Hanna an orange scarf.  
  
"Yeah, no, thank you." Hanna grimaced.  
  
CeCe hadn't interacted a lot with Hanna, her lack of appealing physical features had repelled the golden-haired woman. Hanna didn't have Emily's empathetic black irises, the plump lips that adorned Aria's face, or the dark-brown curls that pooled onto Spencer's shoulders. By a purely aesthetic analysis, Hanna Marin bore no similarity to Melissa Hastings, a fact that CeCe found unbearably boring.   
  
"Guys, animal control has already been here. I swear." CeCe vowed on her lie, "They took it away and went through all the other boxes for nests."  
  
"Nests?" Spencer's eyes widened in fear.  
  
CeCe couldn't decide on a dress for Hanna, her mind was wired to think of Melissa by default. Her girlfriend's skin tone, hair color, and slimmer figure, none of the matched any of the younger blonde's characteristics. CeCe had to clear her thoughts; Hanna needed a gown for the trunk show.  
  
"Hanna, you could rock this." CeCe held out a purple garment, "Be even better if you pinned your hair up, though."

"Oh, yeah. No, my hair is just..." Hanna rambled on, "It doesn't-"  
  
CeCe held her finger out, scrambling into a display case shelf, looking for a can of hair product to fix Hanna's problem.  
  
"Use the dry shampoo." CeCe tossed the hair spray in Hanna's direction, "You're not the only one that didn't have a chance to wash your hair this morning, hon."  
  
Turning to face Spencer, the golden-haired woman surveyed the younger girl's body. Her slim physique was similar to Melissa's gorgeous figure. CeCe tried to keep her assessment innocent, but her eyes lingered on Spencer's thighs.  
  
"This length, those legs, perfect." CeCe addressed Hanna, an attempt to stop leering at Spencer.  
  
Hanna's eyes widened in shock for some apparent reason, and she spun around to look at Spencer. Blinking a few times, the brunette shifted her gaze toward CeCe.  
  
"Uh, you probably should actually give that to Emily." Spencer suggested.  
  
"Emily's coming?" CeCe grinned, "Fabulous."   
  
Emily had the body of a model, long legs, thin waist, a statuesque figure. The dark-haired girl bore some resemblance to Melissa, even down to the fact that both brunettes were fiercely loyal to the people whom they loved.  
  
Flipping through the clothes on a rack, CeCe located a perfect gown for Spencer. The blonde wanted the young girl to wear something other than the onyx dress that she had chosen earlier. When playing chess and in all aspects of Melissa's life, black was _her_  signature color, and Spencer had stolen enough from the dark-haired woman.  
  
"Spencer, you should wear this." CeCe paraded the blue and violet garment for Spencer to see, "It's so you."   
  
"No, you know what?" Hanna intruded, "That is so me."   
  
"Thank you." CeCe barely had time to reply when Hanna swiped the dress from her hands.  
  
CeCe was no idiot. From the whispered conversations that Hanna and Spencer were having behind her back, to their jittery behavior, the girls had to be plotting some sort of scheme. CeCe had to make sure that Melissa wasn't the recipient of whatever plan the young vixens were concocting.

Following Hanna into the fitting room, CeCe trailed behind at a distance from the blonde. She snatched a pair of heels from a shelf, prepared to implement the excuse of bringing Hanna shoes if the golden-haired girl spotted her.   
  
With a sudden jerking motion, CeCe saw Hanna get pulled into a stall, the door closing shut. Someone was in the cubicle with the young girl, having dragged her inside.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Hanna hissed to an unknown assailant.  
  
"I talked to your mom." A male voice whispered.  
  
"You did?" Hanna sounded hopeful.  
  
"Yeah." The young man replied.  
  
"What'd you say?" Hanna asked.    
  
"Well, I told her that if she handed over those videos, Wilden and his cronies would be watching you change into a bikini on a loop." The stealthy interloper explained with a sense of accomplishment, "Kind of kicked in her maternal instincts."  
  
It became clear to CeCe that Caleb was the person hiding in the stall with Hanna. The videos that incriminated Melissa had truly remained in the possession of Spencer and her friends. The devious brunette did not care that the recordings could turn her older sister into a suspect for Alison's presumed murder. Spencer had kept the problematic data, and apparently, she had given the files to Hanna, who carelessly misplaced them.  
  
"So, she's not gonna turn them in?" Hanna inquired.  
  
"I don't know." Caleb replied, "But I also reminded her that one of Rosewood's finest is about to go on trial for the murder of two of your friends."  
  
It was infuriating that Caleb's actions had indirectly aided Melissa. Those videos depicted the dark-haired girl in Alison's bedroom on the night that the blonde teenager went missing. CeCe had to obtain them, but instead, she was wasting time with Paige, Emily, Nate, and Maya's irrelevant death, a bunch of puzzle pieces that didn't help Melissa.  
  
Under CeCe's anonymous orders as Red Coat, Mona and Toby were instructed to steal the pocket knife with the engraved letters from Emily's room. The initials of "L.J." were supposed to belong to Maya's murderer, at least that was the most popular hypothesis among all the involved players.   
  
If Alison's friends were busy chasing Paige, then CeCe could investigate Nate St. Germain without any intervention from meddling girls, who had a habit of sprouting out like inflexible obstacles. However, the new insight that Caleb had provided CeCe with was discerning. Her priorities shifted toward the N.A.T. Club videos once more.   
  
"Thank you. Caleb, you didn't have to do that." Hanna confirmed the identity of her uninvited guest.  
  
"Yeah, I did. I don't know how much longer I can do this, Hanna." Caleb purred, "I need to touch you."  
  
Caleb's romantic declarations were enough to make CeCe ill. How dare the brown-haired boy and Hanna defy A's demands? How could they be so arrogant? Melissa and CeCe were forced into hiding, their entire relationship had always been limited to clandestine meetings, isolated from the rest of the world. Caleb even had the approval of Hanna's mother. In her heart, CeCe knew that Veronica Hastings would _never_ accept her as Melissa's suitor.  
  
"Hanna, I have some shoes out here for you." CeCe interrupted the conniving lovers, "How's that dress look?"   
  
"Hot." Hanna quipped loudly, before she lowered her tone to continue her murmurs with Caleb, "So, how are you gonna sneak out of here?"  
  
"Same way I came in." CeCe could imagine the smug grin Caleb's face as he spoke, "Why? Is Jenna coming to this thing?"  
  
"I don't think Jenna's the one we have to be afraid of anymore." Hanna stated softly.  
  
Hanna was an intuitive girl, she could perceive that someone else was observing the events as they unfolded, a figure shrouded in darkness. Little did she know that Alison's older friend, the seemingly ditzy CeCe Drake, was the mysterious vigilante who threatened to expose all of them as toxic miscreants. It appeared that Hanna did share a trait with Melissa after all. Both young women had fallen in love with individuals who would do anything to keep them safe, even if it meant having to lurk in the shadows. 

* * *

Six rough knocks rang throughout the apartment, a definite warning that something was amiss. Melissa knew that CeCe enjoyed slipping in unannounced, picking the lock with a hairpin and showing off her skills as an amateur burglar. Her girlfriend would never bang violent in against the brunette's door, she wouldn't want to attract the attention of an onlooker. As far as the rest world was concerned, CeCe Drake and Melissa Hastings did not care for one another.

Glancing through the peephole, Melissa was surprised to see Darren Wilden standing on her placemat. He looked annoyed, his foot tapping impatiently. Bracing herself for whatever bad news the corrupt detective was sure to bring, Melissa swung open the door.  
  
"Hello." Melissa stated calmly, "May I help you with something?"   
  
With a cynical smirk, Darren pushed past Melissa, strolling into her apartment. His icy-blue irises roamed every inch of the loft, as if he suspected to find something within the four walls.  
  
"Good evening." Darren sneered, turning to face Melissa.  
  
The dark-haired woman did not close the door, she refused to give Darren the impression that was welcomed to stay.  
  
"Garrett Reynolds is likely to go free soon." Darren stated, "Alison's murder investigation will need to produce new suspects."  
  
Melissa released the doorknob, lingering by the entrance of her apartment. She crossed her arms, taking a step close to the brown-haired man.  
  
"And how does that concern me?" Melissa arched an eyebrow, playing dumb.  
  
"Knock it off! Garrett told me all about your _whereabouts_ on the night that Alison was murdered." Darren snapped, "I have a proposal for you."  
  
Annoyed by the volume of his voice, Melissa clenched her fists. She knew that Darren's preposition was going to be an order and not a request. With a light nod of her head, the brunette signaled the sinister detective to continue.  
  
"I want us to stick together. There are a bunch of video recordings, one of Alison's friends, your sister, or Garrett, has them." Darren's eyes narrowed, "I will need you to help me contain this mess, by _any_ means necessary, do you understand?"  
  
Melissa scoffed loudly, she glared at the him. Her teeth gritted as she formulated a response. She wasn't about to allow the disgusting man control her. Melissa would never comply into being someone's obedient puppet, not after Mona, not anymore.  
  
"And what if I refuse?" Melissa challenged.  
  
His stare unwavering, Darren chuckled as he marched toward the exit. He had a piece of information that Melissa did not, and it was enough to make the duplicitous man brim with arrogance.  
  
"On the night that Alison went missing, Jessica DiLaurentis filed a police report that retold the story of how her daughter and Spencer were arguing in the backyard." Darren snickered, "She retracted her accusations for some reason, so I buried the document. If you disobey me, then that piece of paper will resurface, and Spencer will be implicated in Alison's murder."  
  
"What makes you think that I _care_ about Spencer?" Melissa kept her expression stern.  
  
"I have a powerful hunch that you do." Darren smirked, "We'll test my theory the next time that I stop around."  
  
Winning the game of poker that he was waging against Melissa, the police officer walked out of the brunette's loft. He slammed the door shut, exiting the young woman's residence. Darren had studied her closely enough to know that she was devoted to Spencer.   
  
As much as Melissa wanted to untangle herself from this whole ordeal, to take CeCe with her and travel abroad, a memory kept echoing in her head, again and again. Veronica's voice resonated, beckoning her eldest daughter to protect Spencer. It was engraved into the raven-haired woman's heart, and she knew that as long as the malignant Detective Darren Wilden was in possession of damning evidence against Spencer, he owned Melissa's soul.

* * *

It only took a single cheap earring to validate Spencer's suspicions that Paige McCullers was the enigmatic entity known as A. The metallic trinket was the other half of a matching set that Aria had placed in Alison's casket as a melancholic tribute.

Planting the compromising item into Paige's purse when no one was looking, CeCe had effectively damned her little sister's rival. Paige would become the center of unflattering attention. Alison's friends were like kittens, distracted by a shiny object. CeCe was simply a child using a laser pointer, having fun as the girls followed anot intangible speck of red light.

After a quick quarrel between Emily and Spencer in the middle of the boutique, CeCe had to cancel the trunk show. She would bat her eyelashes at her boss, and claim that no one showed up. It was highly improbable that she would get fired for circumstances that were beyond her control.

CeCe couldn't conduct the event with Hanna and Spencer upset over Emily's blind loyalty to Paige. The dark-haired girl had yelled at Melissa's little sister for foraging through her girlfriend's purse. Spencer had found the earring that had been encased in Alison's coffin, but Emily's trust in Paige did not falter.   
  
It was too risky for CeCe herself to make another move against Paige. She needed Mona or Toby to plant the pocket knife with the L.J. engravings in the brown-haired girl's handbag or in her vehicle. Emily would have to stop making justifications for Paige if she saw her with the weapon that may have killed Maya. It would effectively end their breathtakingly dull relationship.  
  
Pacing around in the A-Lair, CeCe knew that she had to get rid of Bethany's corpse soon. Once all the charges against Garrett Reynolds were dropped and he got released from police custody, the search for Alison's murderer will begin again, at full-throttle. If the video files that had recorded Melissa raging with aggression inside the bedroom of allegedly deceased girl were uncovered, the dark-haired woman would become the prime suspect.    
  
To make matters worse, the brother that CeCe and Melissa shared, Jason DiLaurentis, was leading the charge when it came to the murder investigation of his smaller sibling. The green-eyed man was apprehensive of Melissa. He already suspected his older half-sister of conspiring with Garrett, and obligating Veronica to defend the disgraced police officer. CeCe had always been able to manipulate Jason; she needed to see him, to see if he was still susceptible to her machinations.  
  
Running a hand through her messy hair, she knew that the situation was becoming too much for her to handle. Mona had given Toby a key of the A-Lair, so now another burden of stress weighed on CeCe's shoulders. She would have to evade her two minions, steer away from crossing paths with Mona and Toby. They often loitered at the A-Lair during the daytime, at random intervals. No doubt that both of them wanted to know who Red Coat was. CeCe would have to maintain her jacket's black hood over her head while she squatted in the A-Lair, as a precaution.   
  
The young woman couldn't afford to be spotted by Toby or Mona, their loyalties resided elsewhere, with other people. The abandoned basement where Bethany's cadaver laid stuffed inside a refrigerator was too cold to sleep in, and CeCe couldn't risk storing condemnatory evidence at her own loft. She could just order Toby and Mona around, to do her bidding, but neither subordinate was trustworthy enough to execute the tasks that were designed to keep Melissa away from all further accusations and unaffiliated with any of the misdemeanors being committed by the A-Team.

There was too much for CeCe to ponder in the middle of the night, her thoughts were distorted and her eyelids felt heavy. Despite her promises to Melissa, the blonde wasn't consuming her prescribed pills. She feared that the chemicals clouded her judgement, and lucidity was an upmost requirement at this stage. As late it was, when CeCe grabbed her car keys, she steered her vehicle to an unexpected location. The day had been extremely taxing, her joints ached, and her muscles were tense. Although she should be heading straight to her own loft, the frazzled woman couldn't sleep without her girlfriend by her side. Melissa's calming presence and tender caresses were the only medication that actually had a positive effect on her weary body.

* * *

At three in the morning, the rustling of bedsheets disturbed the veil of perpetual silence surrounding the apartment. A shift in the duvet bedding, Melissa's eyes fluttered open, her pupils adjusting to the darkness. She felt the mattress sinking behind her, a person laid by her side. The smell of coconut and vanilla identified the intruder, a fragrance that was impossible to recreate.   
  
Melissa recalled the memory of buying a cologne with a similar odor, gifting the item to her former lover, Wren Kingston. Unfortunately, it could never measure up to the original scent. It was fitting that the perfume was inadequate, since Wren hadn't been able to substitute Melissa's cherished first love either.   
  
An arm draped across her stomach, a warm body began pressing against Melissa's back. With a groggy smile, the brunette flipped over, facing her intrepid girlfriend. She was met with a pair of cobalt irises, glowing under the moonlight that invaded the premises, passing through the thin curtains hanging on a window. CeCe was wearing nothing but her underwear, her breathing seemed erratic, exhaling and inhaling inconsistently.  
  
A hand reached up to stroke the blonde's cheek, palm threading gently across the pale skin. Melissa's heart melted when CeCe leaned into her touch, as if the smaller woman were longing for contact of any kind. The brunette knew that her girlfriend became clingy when she was being afflicted with awful thoughts. Melissa surged forward and pressed her lips onto CeCe's forehead. She reclined back to look into those two familiar blue eyes, to study their state of distress  
  
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Melissa murmured.  
  
"Nothing much." CeCe whispered back, "I just missed you."  
  
The sincere response overwhelmed Melissa, maybe because CeCe had verbalized what she had been feeling all night. The brunette had also yearned for CeCe after being harassed by unscrupulous Darren Wilden. She started peppering the golden-haired woman with kisses, raking her fingers through her messy curls. Melissa's free arm latched onto the fragile girl's waist, pulling her closer, eliminating the distance between their bodies.  
  
"Is it alright if I stay?" CeCe mumbled.  
  
An unwarranted inquiry from CeCe, but Melissa's lack of reply had been interpreted as rejection by the paranoid blonde.  
  
"Of course, Ce." Melissa cooed reassuringly into CeCe's ear, "You're always welcomed."  
  
Melissa held her tightly, as if she never wanted to let CeCe go. The blue-eyed woman felt happy to comply, sighing as she listened to her beloved’s heart thudding underneath her ear. It was the comfort that she had been longing for, perhaps more than anything else, to hear the sound of the brunette's most vital organ hammering near her.  
  
"Did everything run smoothly with the trunk show?" Melissa asked casually.  
  
It was hard to pinpoint the exact moment that Melissa had become desensitized against CeCe's activities as A. Serpants, corpses, framing innocent individuals, terrorizing teenage girls, it was all part of the blonde's extensive career portfolio.  
  
“I suppose that it went well,” CeCe sighed, snuggling closer into the brunette's side. “I'll explain better in the morning."  
  
"Okay." Melissa grinned, "Goodnight, Ce."

Melissa pecked the shorter girl's mouth briefly, but as she began pulling backward, CeCe's hand coiled around her neck, keep the brunette's head in place. She smashed their lips together, ardently craving the taste of Melissa's saliva. 

This kiss soon traveled down to the dark-haired woman's neck. Melissa responded happily, moaning when CeCe's teeth nipped at her olive skin.  
  
Within seconds, CeCe had crawled on top of the brunette, hovering over the taller woman and leaving a trial of kisses from her jawline to the hemline of her pajama top. Melissa placed her hands on the golden-haired girl's hips, steadying CeCe and allowing the blonde to straddle her with ease.  
  
"Take what you need from me." Melissa declared lovingly.  
  
A guttural whimper escaped CeCe’s throat when she heard her girlfriend's generous offer, her chest swelled with emotion. The blonde lowered herself down, pressing her lips softly against the corner of Melissa’s mouth.  
  
"Are you sure?" CeCe nuzzled against Melissa’s forehead, their noses brushing tenderly.  
  
"It'll be _my_ pleasure." Melissa quipped with a smug grin.  
  
"Har-har." CeCe giggled before her expression became serious, "I love you, Melissa."  
  
A gleeful hum was the only answer that Melissa was able to give her girlfriend; CeCe swooped down and captured her lips firmly. The blonde's hands embarked on their exploration of Melissa's body, roaming around a well-charted terrain. All their worries and concerns were going to be buried for a brief moment, Melissa planned on allowing her girlfriend to sequester whatever she desired tonight. An emptiness existed inside of CeCe's heart, and Melissa would do everything within her power to fill the brittle woman with love, even if it may never be enough.


	23. A Girl Uncovers A Murderer

Chapter 23

A Girl Uncovers A Murderer

* * *

 

A forceful ray of sunlight intruded through the curtains, falling onto CeCe's face. She groaned, turning into a pillow and taking a deep breath. A familiar scent filled her lungs with each whiff of air. It was sweet and aggressive, like strawberries blended with cinnamon. Melissa Hastings, her irresistible girlfriend. The golden-haired woman sat up, stretching lazily. She yawned, looking through the window.   
  
It was very late in the morning; the day was bright and radiant. A delicious smell of bacon wafted into the bedroom, stirring up CeCe's appetite. Rubbing her cerulean eyes, she blinked several times. She slipped out of the comfortable mattress, throwing on the spare bathrobe that Melissa kept at the apartment specifically for her. A red, fluffy cotton fabric, CeCe nestled into the soft garment.  
  
The blonde stumbled into the kitchen as Melissa finished scrambling eggs on a skillet. CeCe observed closely, wearing an amused grin. The brunette had tied her hair up on in a messy bun, to avoid contaminating the food she was cooking. An apron was secured around her waist, stained with a few grease spots. Melissa had dressed herself with a pair of shorts on and a loose tank top, the long muscles of her arms contracted and relaxed as she prepared the meal. CeCe blatantly stared at the graceful woman, watching Melissa's body as she moved with poise and elegance.  
  
The blonde approached stealthily, coiling her arms around Melissa’s waist, while her lips peppered the taller woman's exposed shoulder with kisses. Melissa emitted a small gasp, surprised by the unexpected contact. CeCe smiled, nipping her girlfriend’s skin gently, and she tightened her grip on Melissa's stomach.  
  
"Good morning, CeCe." Melissa chirped.  
  
"Hey there, gorgeous." CeCe cooed in Melissa's ear.  
  
"The table is set, and there's already coffee in your mug." Melissa explained as she untangled herself from CeCe's grip, "I am almost done here."  
  
Melissa took the frying pan and spooned the eggs onto their plates, strips of bacon awaited the battered yolks. She took the skillet and the rest of the dirtied dishes to the sink, setting a sponge aside for scrubbing. Melissa constrained the urge to clean the utensils immediately, her obsessive-compulsive disorder acting out when she felt stressed.  
  
Both women sat at the table, eating their meals as they chatted happily. Melissa's troubles had yet to be remembered and CeCe couldn't stop gushing about how she had tricked Spencer and the other girls into believing that Emily's significant other, Paige McCullers, was A. The blonde had sent her minions, Mona and Toby, to watch over Paige. They were mandated the task of planting the pocket knife with the initials L.J. into the young girl's handbag, effectively framing her.   
  
Once Alison's friends discovered that Paige was in possession of the compromising item, one of them would undoubtedly take that information to the authorities. Paige would become the focus of the murder investigation and Melissa Hastings would remain clear of all suspicion. It was an efficient scheme, but CeCe hadn't factored in the threats from Detective Darren Wilden that she wasn’t aware of.

Melissa was entertained by the expressive hand gestures and facial mannerisms that accompanied CeCe’s story. Theatrical and charismatic, there was no tale that the blonde couldn’t transform into an epic saga with her embellishments.  
  
"Darren Wilden came to see me last night." Melissa chimed in, "He wants me to be his ally or he'll turn in a police report that your mother filed against my sister on the night that Alison went missing."  
  
"W-What?" CeCe almost choked on a piece of bacon.  
  
Giving her girlfriend a solemn nod, Melissa waited until CeCe had washed down her food with a sip of coffee. The blonde cleared her throat and patiently waited for Melissa to elaborate.  
  
"That's what he said at least." Melissa stated firmly, "I guess Jessica _DiLaurentis_ wanted to make a scapegoat out of Spencer _Hastings_."  
  
A sharp enunciation on their family surnames, Melissa bitterly emphasized the animosity between the Hastings and the DiLaurentis. The brunette didn't want to wage an argument about where CeCe's allegiances were, but she was apprehensive. If it ever came down to protecting all of Jessica's secrets or keeping Spencer out of prison, each young woman knew where their loyalties would lie. Melissa and CeCe needed to prevent the situation from becoming dire, to prolong the arrival of an ultimatum that was likely to tear them apart.   
  
"Darren Wilden knows too many secrets about me and my mother..." CeCe sighed, "If he realizes that we are together then-"

"He won't." Melissa placed a hand on CeCe's shoulder, "We will outsmart him, I promise."  
  
"And keep both my mother and your sister safe?" CeCe murmured softly.  
  
Jessica DiLaurentis couldn't be trusted, Melissa knew that older woman had perfected the art of manipulation. All of her offspring thought themselves as masters of deception, but Jessica was the true source of their self-destructive behavior. CeCe, Jason, and Alison, each of them molded by their mother in a unique manner, the matriarch of the DiLaurentis household. She had converted Jason into an alcoholic, buried Alison under six feet of earth, and stripped CeCe of everything that a parent should willing provide for their child.  
  
CeCe was probably able to make a different condescending argument against Spencer's intentions toward Melissa, especially since the younger brunette kept video recordings that could compromise her older sibling. Melissa was inclined to hold her tongue in regards to CeCe's mother. Hypocrisy was an unattractive quality. For the time being, the safety of Jessica and Spencer would merit the same value.  
  
"Yes, both of them." Melissa confirmed with a tense nod.  
  
The stiff reassuring head movement revealed that Melissa's neck boasted a reddened splotch of color. CeCe giggled at the discovery, proud of being the perpetrator of such a blemish. As Melissa noticed the offending mark, her cheeks were adorned with an angry and embarrassed blush. The brunette ranted about how she was supposed to report to class in a few hours, indignant rambles that CeCe took pleasure in ignoring.  
  
“Why cover it?” CeCe asked after breakfast had been cleared and the two girls stood in the bathroom, trying to find the best way to conceal the bruise, “This way, every person who sees Melissa Hasting roaming the hallways at the University of Pennsylvania will know that she belongs to someone.”   
  
Her cerulean eyes glinted in the dim light, reflecting love and adoration, with a smidgen of possessiveness. Melissa chuckled at her girlfriend's antics, and gave the blonde a final kiss while she dabbed concealer on her own neck. CeCe turned around, dressing herself in the same dark pants and black hoodie that she had worn the previous night.  
  
"Hey, I have a few of your dresses here." Melissa hummed, "You don't have to spend the day at my loft sitting on the sofa and looking like a burglar."  
  
"I can spend the day here?" CeCe tilted her head hopefully, "Even after Wilden threatened you?"  
  
"Of course, baby." Melissa cooed, "As long as you use the bus to get here next time. Your bright, red vehicle is inconspicuous and easy to recognize."   
  
"Oh, damn it." CeCe remembered that her car was parked in front of Melissa's apartment.  
  
"Relax, Ce." Melissa began unzipping CeCe's jacket, "I'll take the crimson A-mobile back to your apartment, and then I'll ride the bus to school."  
  
"Melissa Hastings, taking the public bus with all the mere peasants." CeCe teased, "Just for little, old me."  
  
"I'd do anything for you." Melissa declared passionately.  
  
"And what would you do to me?" CeCe purred.  
  
With a shrug of her shoulders, CeCe's hoodie dropped down, pooling around her ankles on the floor. She reached back and began unclasping her brassiere, eyelids fluttering suggestively. CeCe smirked when she saw Melissa’s dark pupils narrow down with fervor and lust.   
  
Losing her verbal capabilities, Melissa crossed the small distance between their two bodies, cradling CeCe's face in her palms and smashing their lips together. Melissa's hand moved behind the blonde's head bringing her closer, deepening the kiss. CeCe sighed into her girlfriend's mouth, her thumbs curling around the hemline of taller woman's camisole. The brunette used to value punctuality, but that was before she knew how CeCe's tongue felt in her mouth. Being tardy to her first class was unavoidable, but as she traced CeCe's skin under the pads of her fingertips, Melissa found it impossible to care.  


* * *

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania was an academic facility dedicated to those in pursuit of business degrees. A private Ivy League college located in Philadelphia, it was a large institution, admitting thousands of students every year. The Philadelphia campus of the Wharton School had four primary buildings, Jon M. Huntsman Hall, Dietrich Hall, Vance Hall and Lauder-Fischer Hall. In addition, the Steinberg Conference Center houses the Aresty Institute of Executive Education. In simplified summation, the educational premises were enormous and positioned like a complex maze. 

Jon M. Huntsman Hall was the Wharton School's main building, where most of Melissa's classes were held. The edifice was a three-hundred thousand square foot structure with forty-eight seminar and lecture halls, fifty-seven group study rooms and several auditoriums. It was constructed through a sizable donation from the eponymous alumnus it had been named after. It was easy to get lost inside the crowded structure during the morning and afternoon, but as the evening arrived, the school grounds became more desolate and empty.   
  
Circling around the corridor that led to building's exit, Melissa had left her final class when she spotted an elderly woman selling flowers on a makeshift stand. It was Friday, and the administration often allowed vendors to freely sell their merchandise and products on campus, if the seller acquired an official permit.  
  
After purchasing a single red rose from female merchant, Melissa headed out in the direction where her black sedan was stationed. A shiver crept down her spine. She pulled the lapels of her blazer tightly, feeling the chilling effects of the autumn breeze. A sigh escaped Melissa’s lips as she came across a disturbing sight.  
  
Standing in middle of the student parking lot, Darren Wilden was patiently awaiting her. Anchored in front of a Mercedes-Benz automobile, the police officer made it apparent that he knew the vehicle's owner. An unpleasant bundle of surprises for Melissa. She watched as a cynical smirk appeared on his face. He nodded at the brunette as she approached him with an exasperated look and a defiant posture. Melissa stuffed the rose inside her jacket. She was thankful that his beady eyes didn't seem to acknowledge the vermilion flower.  
  
"Garrett might get liberated today." Darren said, crossing his arms as he blocked Melissa's path to her sedan, "Did you even hear me?"  
  
Despite the older man's vulgar demeanor, Melissa remained unfazed. She tried maneuver around him, but Darren wouldn't bulge. He grabbed her arms, roughly shaking the dark-haired girl until her fortitude seemed to falter and her facade of audacity cracked. No one was around to save her and she lacked the brute force that was needed to push him off. Melissa's breath became labored as she struggled against the police officer's grip.  
  
"You need to control Garrett Reynolds, or I will." Darren sneered, shoving Melissa as he released his hold on her biceps.

With one last glance at the young woman, Darren marched away with angry stomps, Melissa tried to regain her composure, steadying her agitated heartbeat. She couldn't drive in such a frazzled state. Melissa needed some aspirin; she suddenly had developed a pulsating migraine. It was difficult to deal with all the baseless tactics that Darren was implementing in order to dispirit Melissa and constrain her under his will.  
  
Spontaneously appearing at the University of Pennsylvania was simply another strategy meant to intimidate her, establishing how helpless Melissa was under his ruthless wrath, how weak she was in the shadow of his strength. Darren had effectively shown the brunette that he could easily find her when she was alone and vulnerable.  
  
The brown-haired man knew her schedule, the places that she frequently visited, which vehicle belonged to her. Darren suffered from a deadly deficiency of scruples and moral fiber, he was going to pin Melissa against a figurative wall.  With the influence that his position of authority gave him, nothing was out of his grasp, the deviant detective knew no bounds. Darren Wilden was becoming a dangerous thorn at Melissa's side.  


* * *

It was dark outside by the time that Melissa returned to the apartment. She felt tired and worn, dragging her feet across the floor. Threading her fingers through her raven locks, the brunette twisted the doorknob with a twinge of paranoia and snuck inside her residence with haste. If anyone was spying on her, Melissa couldn't risk exposing the fact that CeCe was lounging inside her loft.

A weary Melissa expected to be greeted by warmly her girlfriend, but the blonde was currently lost in a frenzied panic. CeCe fidgeted with her fingers nervously, toying with the cooking apron, and pacing around the dining room when Melissa sauntered in. CeCe didn't even noticed the brunette's late arrival. Melissa placed her textbooks and her handbag on the kitchen countertop, before she started to approach the distressed blonde.   
  
A delicious smell demanded Melissa's attention, causing the raven-haired woman to spare a glance at the platter resting on the oven's top surface before she comforted her precious companion. It was amazing that CeCe had managed to prepare a beef wellington in the middle of her breakdown.  
  
"Are you alright?" Melissa asked when she reached the anxious girl.  
  
"Yes. Well, no. Mona has sent me a message, and then I did some searching, and it's not bad for us, but it's not good, and I'm not sure what to do, and-"  
  
"Baby, breath. You are using too many "ands" for me to keep up with." Melissa teased as her hands slid onto the blonde's waist.  
  
Melissa's thumbs traced soothing circles along the shorter woman's hipbones. She leaned forward to press a couple of tender kisses on the blonde's face. After inhaling and exhaling a few times, CeCe nodded and began recounting her story with a calmer demeanor.  
  
"Mona sent me a text, that Nate had kidnapped Paige before Toby could frame her with the initialed pocket knife." CeCe explained, "After searching the database of a camp that Maya went to, True North, I found out that Nate's real name is Lyndon James, L.J. He is Maya's killer, he captured Paige and Emily is currently with him, alone at some lodge, awaiting the results of Garrett's trial."   
  
"So Emily is in danger?" Melissa pulled CeCe closer to her, "Do you need me to do anything?"  
  
"No, I have the phone number for the cabin where Emily is staying with Lyndon m, but I just..." CeCe didn't seem capable of finishing her thought, "If I try to help Emily, everyone will stop thinking about A as a deadly force and we lose our leverage."  
  
Scrambling into the pocket on her cooking apron, CeCe pulled out a slip of paper. She crumbled it in her fist, slouching against Melissa's chest. Knowing how to interpret her girlfriend's odd gestures, the taller woman wriggled the note out from CeCe's clenched hand.  
  
Opening the folded parchment, Melissa saw a series of numbers. Her eyes darted toward the golden-haired woman's face, a glimmer of regret swirled inside two azure irises that were clouded with shame. Melissa wasted no time in digging inside her blazer jacket and procuring her modified mobile phone, the one reserved for A-Team members.  
  
"What are you-"  
  
In a swift motion, the taller woman's palm covered CeCe's mouth, urging the blonde to be quiet. Melissa waited and waited, the generic ring was already getting on her nerves. A sudden click, someone had finally decided to receive Melissa's desperate call.  
  
"Hello?" A young girl answered, and Melissa identified her as Emily Fields by the sound of her voice, one of Spencer’s inseparable three friends.  
  
"You have one minute." Melissa's digitally distorted voice beckoned Emily, "Get out."  
  
Flipping the mobile phone close, Melissa dropped her hand from CeCe's mouth. The blonde blinked rapidly, processing what had just occurred. A grateful smile developed on her face.  
  
"That will give Emily a fighting chance." Melissa muttered as she ran her knuckles along CeCe's jawline, "We'll deal with the repercussions later, but I don't want you to live with any unwarranted guilt."

A relieved giggle, CeCe brought her hands up, cupping Melissa's chin and slowly locking their lips together. Her ardent kiss conveyed the message that mere words would have failed to. When CeCe pulled back, she brushed noses with Melissa, placing a final, chaste peck on the brunette's forehead.  
  
"Let's eat." CeCe proclaimed excitedly, "I made a beef wellington, my mother's special recipe."  
  
"Oh?" Melissa feigned interest but she rather avoid discussing the DiLaurentis family during dinnertime, "It smells delicious."  
  
A beef wellington was an English dish. A filet steak would coated with a spreadable paste made from cooked ground meat and a minced mixture of tasty vegetables. The final concoction was encased inside a sheet of puff pastry, then finally baked until the outer shell was a shade of golden brown.   
  
Some recipes include wrapping the coated meat in a crepe to retain the moisture and prevent it from making the pastry soggy. Many spices may be added to enhance the flavor. CeCe's version of the meal looked scrumptious.  
  
"My mother added a pinch of ginger to give the meat an extra oomph." CeCe said as she held the chair out for Melissa.  
  
Melissa assumed that Jessica's secret ingredient was formaldehyde, but she stopped herself from making the joke. CeCe was so proud of having recreated her mother's signature dish, and the dark-haired woman didn't want to tarnish the moment.   
  
"Hey." Melissa muttered, "I got you something."  
  
As CeCe began uncorking a bottle of wine, the brunette procured the red rose she had bought at her college campus. With a loving smile, Melissa placed the thornless stem behind CeCe's ear.   
  
"Red suits you." Melissa complimented as her fingertips stroke CeCe's jaw, "It's a thornless rose."  
  
"Thank you, Mel." CeCe grinned.  
  
Closing her eyes and leaning into Melissa's touch, CeCe grabbed the hand caressing her cheek. She pressed a soft kiss on the brunette's palm, lips grazing against Melissa's skin.   
  
Clearing her throat, the raven-haired woman dropped her arm. Melissa sat on her chair and observed as CeCe rushed around, searching through the kitchen cabinets for plates, pulling out drawers for eating utensils. CeCe had never prepared the dining table and she felt unnerved as a pair of auburn eyes followed her every movement.  
  
It was cute, to watch CeCe pour wine into two glasses, add garnish on each serving of beef wellington, and rummage around for a salt shaker. The blonde lit a few candles and set them to the side, beaming with relief as she took the seat in front of Melissa.   
  
"Did you add some cheese?" Melissa inquired as she inspected her portion.  
  
"Yes, blended with the meat paste." CeCe confirmed happily, "Do you like it?"  
  
Plucking a piece with her fork, Melissa took the first bite. It was an explosion of flavor, delectable juices flooded her mouth. Melissa savored the taste as she swallowed her food.  
  
"This is delicious, CeCe." Melissa gushed, "Tell me how you prepared it."  
  
Full of girth and newfound enthusiasm, CeCe recounted every step involved in the formation of the food. As Melissa ate in a complacent silence, she nodded to certain parts of CeCe's explanation. The blonde spoke about Jessica, how the older woman had taken the time to teach her child the proper way to marinate the meat, to flatten the pastry dough, to slice the vegetables. Investing a few hours at a kitchen in the Radley Sanitarium, Jessica had enamored CeCe with another one of her empty gestures.  
  
Melissa hated that CeCe worshipped Jessica blindly, unaware that a mother who actually cared would never allow her child to suffer in a mental institution for years and years. CeCe's judgment was clouded, she was firmly attached to the sole person who had cared for her during the majority of the blonde's lifetime. It pained Melissa to see CeCe being emotionally abused, but she didn't want to spoil dinner with an argument.

An hour later, CeCe sat on the kitchen counter watching Melissa as she did the dishes. The brunette had insisted on washing them since CeCe had cooked a perfect meal. When the raven-haired woman offered her services she had a look in her eye that CeCe knew not to challenge unless absolutely necessary.  
  
With her blazer neatly folded and resting on a chair, Melissa stood at the sink with the sleeves of her blouse rolled up past her elbows. She scrubbed each plate and utensil thoroughly. When the drying rack was full, CeCe found a towel and began to wipe the dishes by hand so she could put them away. Both women seemed perfectly content with dragging out the domestic moment.   
  
An irritating buzz from CeCe's modified mobile phone vibrated on the table where the blonde had left the device. She expected Mona keep her informed on the escalating situation between Emily, Paige, and the murderous Lyndon James. As the blonde read the message from her main minion, she turned to Melissa.  
  
"Well, Emily killed Lyndon James. Paige seems to be find. Caleb was shot, but he'll live." CeCe shared Mona's summary of the events that had recently transpired, "And with Maya's murderer in the morgue, Garrett Reynolds has been freed."  
  
"So, all is well that ends well?" Melissa placed the last dried dish in her kitchen cabinet.  
  
"Basically." CeCe hummed in response, “Except for the fact that Darren wants Garrett in jail.”

“I’ll worry about that tomorrow.” Melissa stated dismissively.  
  
Exhausted from after a taxing evening, CeCe and Melissa retired to the bedroom. So many grueling events had worn them out. Disrobing with ease, CeCe exchanged her floral-print dress for one of Melissa's oversized shirts. The hemline of the garment reached to her thighs, which was more than enough modesty to exhibit in the presence of a woman who had already seen CeCe naked more times than anyone could count.  
  
On the other hand, suffocated from wearing a long-sleeved blouse for the entire day, Melissa was eager to undress. Not bothering to put on a top, she chose to stay in her brassiere, and traded her tailored pants for a pair of casual shorts.   
  
Both girls crawled under the bedsheets and snuggled warmly into the mattress. Melissa seemed to hold onto CeCe extra tightly tonight, rubbing the blonde's back, and kissing her softly on the forehead.   
  
"Thank you, for calling Emily." CeCe snaked her arms around Melissa's neck.  
  
"Your wish is my command." Melissa replied humorously.  
  
The truth was that CeCe hadn't asked Melissa to help her. The blonde didn't even know what she wanted to do at the the time. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, but that never halted Melissa from reading her mind.  
  
CeCe closed the distance between their faces, sequestering Melissa's lips. Fingers threading into a mane of ebony locks, nails massaging the brunette's scalp. Even when she was unable to articulate her desires, Melissa Hastings always how to alleviate her soul and eliminate the burdens that weighed CeCe down. That level of devotion deserved a bigger reward than some haste pecks on the mouth. As the blonde's tongue traced patterns on an area of sensitive skin under Melissa's earlobe, the raven-haired woman knew that sleep was being postponed until further notice.


	24. A Girl Burns Herself

Chapter 24

A Girl Burns Herself

* * *

 

It was a bright, sunny morning. Jovial mockingbirds chirped, fluttering outside the window. The skies were clear and blue, not a single cloud in sight. It was almost as if nature observed the weekend's arrival, procuring perfect meteorological conditions and pristine weather.  
  
Melissa woke to a familiar sensation on tingling across her skin, a slight weight pressing against her chest. The warmth of CeCe's hand gently holding her shoulder as she lightly made a trail of kisses up Melissa's neck. There was something in CeCe's tenderness indicating that she was trying to not disturb the brunette's slumber. The golden-haired woman's soft lips slowly travelled farther along her girlfriend's jawline. Melissa made no movement, attempting to hide the fact that she was awake. As CeCe began pecking her eyelids, shifting finally toward her mouth, Melissa could not resist kissing back. It was as essential as breathing.  
  
A cute yelp, there was a moment of surprise, followed by a fit of giggles. CeCe laughed as they pulled apart, shaking her head from side to side. She didn't expect brunette to seize her lips spontaneously. Melissa grinned sleepily, curling up into CeCe's warm body.  
  
"Good morning." Melissa stretched, unable to hold back a yawn as she draped her arm around CeCe’s stomach.   
  
"Sorry for waking you up." CeCe rested her head on top of Melissa's collarbone, "It wasn't my intention."  
  
"We should just stay in bed all day." Melissa smiled as she nestled around CeCe's body.  
  
"That can be arranged." CeCe smirked mischievously.  
  
The brunette chuckled before she rose herself up, hovering slightly above CeCe. Balancing her weight on one arm, Melissa pushed a fallen curl away from the golden-haired woman's face. Melissa reached down and cupped one of her girlfriend's cheek, admiring the contours of CeCe’s gorgeous face.  
  
"So beautiful." Melissa whispered with sheer amazement.   
  
Pausing only briefly, Melissa closed the distance between their lips. Latching her arms around the taller woman's neck, CeCe intensified the kiss by pressing up against Melissa. The brunette's hand ran down her girlfriend's sides, trekking toward the hemline of CeCe's loose shirt. She roamed underneath the fabric, her fingers tracing patterns across the blonde's stomach. Caressing a specific spot below CeCe's left breast, Melissa smiled when she heard her golden-haired lover moan.  
  
A loud thud on the apartment door startled both women, Melissa sprang apart from CeCe, slipping her wandering hands from out of the blonde's blouse. CeCe stared up at her girlfriend with a puzzled and frightened look, grabbing Melissa's hand instinctively. A frustrated voice from outside of the loft started to beckon for Melissa, calling out her name.  
  
"Melissa! Open up, Melissa!"   
  
Darren Wilden roared loudly, probably alarming every single one of Melissa's neighbors. He was upset over the liberation of Garrett Reynolds. In light of recent events, the despicable man thought that Melissa required a fresh round of empty threats.  
  
"Stay here." Melissa murmured quietly to CeCe, "I'll be back."  
  
"Do you want me to jump out the window?" CeCe teased with a whisper.  
  
Disguised as a hyperbolic joke, the reality of the matter was that CeCe would happily launch herself from off a bell tower if the gesture could guarantee Melissa's safety and well-being.  
  
"If anyone is being thrown out from a window, it's going to be Darren Wilden." Melissa smirked, "For interrupting my plans."  
  
"Your plans?" CeCe arched an eyebrow.  
  
Instead of responding, Melissa popped a kiss on the blonde's nose. She began to crawl toward the edge of the mattress, her girlfriend's fingers remain coiled around her wrist. CeCe pouted, but reluctantly released her hold on the brunette's hand.   
  
"Melissa Hastings! Open the door, now!" Darren barked.  
  
Groaning in irritation, Melissa pulled herself out of bed nonetheless, instantly feeling the chill of the cold air. She threw her bathrobe over her body, tying the lash. Melissa attempted to smooth out her hair, glancing at the mirror in her bedroom. It was imperative for the brunette to the conceal the mouth-shaped blemish on her collarbone.  
  
"Coming!" Melissa exited her bedroom, lifting the neckline of bathrobe in order to hide the mark that CeCe had bestowed upon her skin.

Walking across her loft, she opened the door and folded her arms. Leaning against the wooden frame, Melissa effectively blocked Darren's path into her residence. She had no intention of allowing him to snoop around her apartment, especially with a half-naked girl sprawled out on her mattress.  
  
"Garrett Reynolds was released from prison last night." Darren scowled.  
  
His eyes registered Melissa's unruly appearance, scanning her from top to bottom. Messy hair, flushed cheeks, a poorly adjusted bathrobe. Darren wondered for a second if she had a male companion or someone who could cause significant trouble for him. Recalling that the only vehicle parked in front of Melissa's apartment was her own black Mercedes-Benz sedan, the paranoid man internally eased his own concerns.  
  
"I didn't hear the news last night. Thanks for the update." Melissa replied coldly, "Is that the only reason for this pointless visit?"  
  
"I need you to talk to him." Darren growled, "I heard it from a reliable source that Garrett has the video recordings that your deceased husband made with his friends. One of those media files can cause serious problems for me."  
  
Feeling his lecherous glare, Melissa's nostrils flared up in anger. She clenched her hands into fists, a glint of rage burned in her pupils. Scoffing loudly, the brunette stepped outside, slamming the door behind her. If CeCe listened to her arguments with Darren, she might leap into action. There was no way of predicting her girlfriend's impulsive behavior, and the last thing the dark-haired woman wanted was for CeCe to expose herself in some reckless attempt at defending Melissa's reputation.  
  
"I'll see what I can do, now get out." Melissa tried to appear menacing, "Leave before I-"  
  
"Stop pretending that you have a choice. You don’t have any leverage against me." Darren sneered, "I know that you're alone in this apartment, there's no car parked in the spot designated for your guests. You have no idea what I'm capable of, and I doubt that you would like to find out."  
  
Darren saw a hint of fear flash across Melissa's face, and he felt pleased with his observation. The devious man wasn't aware that Melissa had tensed up because her hypothesis was proven correct, Darren would have seen CeCe's crimson convertible. The precautionary decision to drive the automobile back to her girlfriend's loft had been a smart move, a brilliant defensive countermeasure.  
  
"Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and talk to Garrett." Darren smirked triumphantly as he marched off.  
  
Sighing with relief, Melissa retreated back into her residence, locking the door behind her. Fingers combing through her raven curls, the brunette sauntered through the living room. She sensed the smell of strongly brewed coffee and recently cooked bread. Nothing could tarnish the delightful feeling that CeCe's presence brought to her apartment, not even a undesirable visit from Darren Wilden.  
  
Entering the kitchen, Melissa observed as her girlfriend finished spreading butter on a slice of toast. Taking notice of the dark-haired woman's arrival, CeCe presented Melissa with a mug. She leaned in, pressing her lips against the brunette's cheek. The gesture was so sweet, so adorable, that Melissa felt her chest swelling with adoration for the thoughtful blonde. With the aptness of an expert puppeteer, CeCe could tug at her heartstrings with a single touch.  
  
"What did Darren want?" CeCe asked tentatively.  
  
"To be honest, I don't know." Melissa stated nonchalantly, "I don't know why, but he thinks that Garrett has the N.A.T. Club videos, and he wants me to retrieve them."  
  
Melissa blew on her coffee, as she sat across from CeCe, the dining table dividing them. Two plates laid on the surface, full of toasted bread slices. CeCe wasn't very proficient at preparing breakfast meals, but Melissa's appetite was acclimated to her girlfriend's simple dishes.

The golden-haired woman, for her part, reclined back on her chair, arms crossed and brow furrowed. Her own coffee mug rested in front of her. Untouched, the steam danced upward to the ceiling. A thin blanket of tension cloaked the apartment as CeCe became lost in her own thoughts.   
  
"I have to get rid of Bethany's corpse in a public place, at some event where several people will serve as decoy suspects." CeCe said with a frown, "I was thinking of choosing this Halloween Train event that is being held as the perfect venue. It will be crowded and Mona already showed interest in going."  
  
The brunette wrapped her bathrobe tighter around herself for warmth, for comfort, for something to do with her hands. Melissa felt so useless to CeCe. She wanted to help, to participate in one of her schemes.

"How can I help?" Melissa reached out from the other side of table, grabbing CeCe's hand as it laid on the firm surface.  
  
"You don't have to do anything. I can't risk you getting hurt." CeCe took a sip of her coffee, "Toby and Mona will take care of all the arrangements."  
  
"Ce, I want to help." Melissa was persistent, "You can't depend on them, not as much as you can depend on _me_."  
  
A cunning rebuttal, placing CeCe's faith in Melissa as a point of reference. If the blonde didn't include her girlfriend in the orchestrations of A, then it would imply that she wasn't willing to trust Melissa.

CeCe tore her slice of bread into little pieces, dipping them into her coffee. It was an unconventional way of eating toast, but Melissa had never questioned the blonde’s curious habits. Every mannerism, every unusual custom, every bizarre quirk, Melissa adored them all. She loved all the different sides of CeCe’s complex personality.  
  
"Well, perhaps you can help me lure Darren there? I just don't know how..." CeCe nearly croaked the words.  
  
The blonde lowered down her ceramic cup, not entirely believing what she was saying. CeCe certainly wasn't able to look at her girlfriend as she spoke. There had to be a different, and better solution. CeCe's stomach churned at the idea of Melissa being on the Halloween Train, under Darren's authority, the man was unpredictable, there would be far too many factors to consider. Mona was another volatile element, and the shrewd girl dreamed of figuring out who Red Coat was/  
  
"Perfect." Melissa nodded, "You will send him a message as A, and I'll volunteer to accompany him."  
  
"No, Melissa. It's too dangerous." CeCe changed her mind and shook her head, "I won't allow it."  
  
"I am going to help you, and I don't need your permission!" Melissa slammed her cup down hard on the edge table.   
  
Coffee escaped the rim onto the dining table and down Melissa's bathrobe. A tremble in her hand and the shock of the boiling liquid on her skin was all it took for her to completely drop the mug. It fell down on its side, rolled across the surface. The raven-haired woman bolted up as the hot fluid burnt her leg. Her abrupt movement toppled a chair to the ground.  
  
"Mel!" CeCe rushed over, "Are you okay?"  
  
Snatching a nearby napkin, CeCe made a couple of frustrated gestures to wipe the coffee off Melissa's bathrobe, but the beverage had already soaked through, staining the garment, further burning the brunette's thigh. As CeCe pressed against her girlfriend's blistering lesions, Melissa flinched from the pain.  
  
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I am just-" Melissa closed her eyes and bit her lip, restraining her sense of helplessness.   
  
A small drop of coffee slid down her legs, already cooling in the air. A highly unpleasant sensation. CeCe brushed the drying liquid away with a paper towel. Her touches were gentle, as if Melissa's thigh was made of fragile glass and needed to be treated with utmost care.  
  
"You want to help, I know." CeCe dabbed the napkin along Melissa's olive skin, "Just promise me that you'll stay safe, okay?"  
  
"Okay." Melissa agreed as she rested her forehead against CeCe's shoulder, "I promise."  
  
Wrapping her arms around Melissa, the blonde reveled in the sensation of being surrounded by her lover's scent. Neither a perfume or a shampoo could recreate the odd combination of fragrances; strawberries blended with cinnamon.  
  
As CeCe reeled back, but Melissa followed her, capturing her girlfriend's lips, deepening the kiss, unable to let go quite yet. She pressed against CeCe's mouth, until golden-haired woman found it impossible to breathe. A tear ran down the brunette's cheek, culminating in a visible crack in Melissa's emotional armor.

When they separated, CeCe wiped the salty droplet away gently with her thumb. For a moment both sets of eyes were fixed on the moist residue smeared on the blonde's hand. Melissa was crying because of something that CeCe had done, and that was unacceptable. CeCe's sole redeeming quality her ability to make the raven-haired woman happy. Tucking a loose curl back behind Melissa's ear, CeCe finally broke the silence, her tone airy and distant.  
  
"Please don't cry, at least not for me." CeCe whispered solemnly, "Don’t ever cry for me."  
  
CeCe dared a quick look away from the brunette, but there were volumes to be read in the pain and the hurt etched on the golden-haired woman's facial features. Melissa brought her hand up, cradling CeCe's chin between her index finger and her thumb.  
  
"You're the only person worth crying for." Melissa smiled wistfully, "I love you."  
  
Before CeCe could reply with some of her usual self-deprecating responses, Melissa captured her lips, wrapping her arms around the blonde in a desperate and passionate embrace. Overwhelmed by the kiss, CeCe was unable to steady herself. Caught off-balance, the two young women toppled backwards on the floor.  
  
Despite their current position, sprawled out on the floor, Melissa was reluctant to let go of her hold of her girlfriend. The brunette laid on top of CeCe, propped up on her elbows, both breathed deeply, chests heaving up against each other. A pool of coffee endangered the dining table with a promise of a future stain, but despite her obsession with hygiene, Melissa was currently too preoccupied with CeCe's mouth to care about anything else.

* * *


	25. A Girl Named Charlotte

Chapter 25

A Girl Named Charlotte

* * *

 

A silvery beam of light entered through the poorly closed curtains, shining upon the occupants of the room. With the perpetual quietude of the building, crickets could be heard chirping outside the window, owls hooting ominously, noises that failed to silence the whispers echoing in CeCe's head. She laid wide awake on her back, staring at the ceiling, contemplating ideas and concepts that would become irrelevant in the morning.   
  
Unable to find the comfort of sleep, CeCe began examining her lover's chambers, examining every square foot. Melissa's living quarters were spacious, furniture in every corner. The shelves were filled with novels, a variety of genres and different authors. CeCe could read each spine from afar, imagining Melissa as she flipped through them, the thoughts that their scribblings sparked and how the brunette's face reacted to each plot twist. The serene look of satisfaction as she closed a finished book, how Melissa enjoyed to curl up on her sofa, cuddling under a blanket.  
  
CeCe noted some objects that she owned scattered around the bedroom. The surroundings were a distinguishable mixture of two personalities, both CeCe and Melissa had imprinted their mark on the environment. The raven-haired woman's entire apartment was saturated with CeCe's lingering presence. Everywhere the blonde looked, one of her dresses laid, a tube of bubblegum-pink lipstick, a chic magazine, a forgotten brassiere, or a tin of concealer. For the briefest of instants, CeCe thought about gathering all the physical pieces of herself together, to eliminate all the troubling evidence linking her to Melissa, but in actuality, no one would be able to match any of the generic female items to the blonde. Melissa could easily be the owner of those belongings.  
  
From Melissa's perspective, none of CeCe's discarded garments or trinkets needed to be removed. She loved the idea of her loft being filled with CeCe's personal possessions. Her residence was infused with the feeling that at any moment Melissa could turn the corner and CeCe would be there. It was oddly revitalizing, the sensation that the blonde lived with her like any normal lover would. Melissa preferred a materialized delusion instead of the constant reminder that their relationship was forbidden.  
  
CeCe flipped around on the mattress, deciding that the exquisite dark-haired woman resting next to her would serve as a better scenery. After a series of pleasurable activities, Melissa had fallen into a deep slumber, lying naked on her stomach. CeCe had worn her out, that much was certain. Melissa never complained, she was always willing to give CeCe every ounce of her being. The blonde never had to explain herself, she could just seize Melissa's lips, slide her hand under the brunette's blouse, and initiate their ritual of intimacy. Melissa consented, simply allowing CeCe to ravish her without questioning what torments agonized the blue-eyed girl.  
  
Half-covered by the bedsheets, Melissa inhaled and exhaled softly, snuggling into a pillow. The glimmering rays from the waning moon illuminated her olive skin, giving her a bronze glow. CeCe rested on her side, elbow propped up with one arm, relishing the view. With her free hand, she let her fingertips trail over the exposed flesh, committing every inch of Melissa's figure to memory. A birthmark under the brunette's right breast became CeCe's area of interest. The dark blemish, a part of Melissa that no one else was allowed to see. CeCe doubted that her girlfriend's former lovers ever took the time to study the panorama of Melissa's body as she had.  
  
It wasn't the first night that CeCe spent watching Melissa sleep, the ordinance had become part of the blonde's nocturnal routine. It felt surreal, to lie next to such a perfect human being. Melissa was so radiantly beautiful and completely out of CeCe's league. For all her boasting and superficial vanity, the golden-haired woman would never illude herself into believing that she could ever be good enough for Melissa Hastings.

Rigging the prom queen ballots on the night of Melissa's senior dance, creating the artificial persona of a charming fashionista from a faraway land, and flaunting through every bar in Rosewood as if she were some unattainable superstar, the blonde had carefully constructed a fantasy that Melissa fell in love with. There was nothing admirable about the pathetic girl who hid under the guise of CeCe Drake. The young woman couldn't even remember who she truly was, if CeCe had been fabricated in Alison's image, to bond with her beloved sister, or if the deceptive vixen was an elaborate defense mechanism she had procured for her own selfish gains.  
  
The golden-haired woman was still lying to Melissa after all these years. The brunette deserved the truth about the girl who hid under the mask of CeCe Drake or at the very least, she had the right to know her lover's real name. It was the only genuine thing that CeCe had to offer and it didn't even seem to suffice.   
  
Beneath CeCe's adventurous hands, Melissa stirred, grumbling as the blonde's fingers brushed across her ribcage. Instead of flinching away from CeCe's touch, the taller woman scooted nearer. She was seeking out CeCe, craving her girlfriend's warmth. It was unprecedented, the feeling of being desired, of having a companion who appreciated her. Someone as intelligent, attractive, and successful as Melissa Hastings could have her choice of suitor, men or women, but she wanted CeCe, a basic fact.  
  
An adorable snore from Melissa pried CeCe away from her melancholic musings. The brunette rolled closer to CeCe and pulled the smaller woman toward her body. Muttering a muffled statement that CeCe could not decipher, Melissa yawned. Brown eyes opened drowsily, pupils modifying themselves to comply with the darkness. Melissa grinned when she saw that CeCe was awake. Pecking the blonde on the cheek, she adjusted the bedsheets over both of them and nestled into her girlfriend.  
  
"Hey." Melissa murmured, stroking CeCe's cheek, "How are you?"  
  
"Better. Just thinking." CeCe sighed wistfully.  
  
"About what?" A knowing look from Melissa.  
  
"W-Well, about Emily, and Alison." CeCe lied, "I was wondering if there was a darkness inside of Alison that only Emily could keep at bay."  
  
Melissa was not easily fooled, she knew that CeCe was not dwelling on the inner workings of the relationship between Emily and Alison. However, she rather humor the smaller woman, playing along with her girlfriend's fib, trying to see if she could find the real reason why CeCe was still awake in the middle of the night.  
  
"Maybe. Every brunette has a blonde that drives them crazy." Melissa hummed cheerfully, "Caleb wore a ridiculous costume at the Masquerade Ball to serve as the Romeo to Hanna's tacky Juliet disguise."  
  
"What about Toby and Spencer?" CeCe challenged cheekily, "Or Ezra and Aria?"  
  
"Fine, fine." Melissa relented with a laugh, "Every pair of dark eyes has a set of light eyes delegated to be with them, better?"  
  
"Hm..." CeCe pictured the irises of every couple that she knew.  
  
Each love story started out differently, leading to the same ending. The poetic intellectuals, Ezra Fitzgerald and his navy-blue irises, complimenting Aria Montgomery's two large, hazel orbs, the starving artist and his muse. Homecoming Queen, Hanna Marin's azure catlike slits, a stark contrast to the beady brown eyes that the vagabond Caleb Rivers has, the fairy-tale princess and her wandering knight. A pair of inquisitive cocoa globes, Spencer Hastings offered adequate counterparts to Toby Cavanaugh's simplistic indigo eyes, the wealthy aristocrat and the humble laborer. A devoted admirer, Emily Fields with twin onyx stones on her face, perfect matches with the double turquoise gems resting above the nose of the elusive Alison DiLaurentis, the idealist and her unrequited dream. Their romantic tales all brimmed with the promise of a hopeful future, but the saga of Melissa Hastings and _CeCe Drake_ was a work of fiction.  
  
"Well, I concede that point, you win this round." CeCe graciously admitted defeat.

Crawling over the blonde, Melissa's eyes glinted with purpose. She sat astride on top of CeCe, flicking her raven locks back, preventing her hair from impeding her vision. Melissa was going to chase her girlfriend's demons away with a technique considered traditional at this stage of their relationship.   
  
"And I'll eagerly collect my prize." Melissa announced victoriously.  
  
Melissa leaned in, claiming her girlfriend's lips. It started as a quick kiss, but the others that followed began escalating, each one lingering longer and deeper. Melissa pushed aside the bedsheets to move closer into CeCe, an arm snaking under the blonde's lower back, keeping her in place.   
  
Their tongues met as Melissa's free hand slid down her girlfriend's bare stomach, resting temporarily on CeCe's navel. Suckling the blonde's bottom lip, aimed to trail her palm to the lower end of CeCe's stomach, through topographical areas that always deserved revisitations.  
  
CeCe's fingers coiled around Melissa's wrist, preventing the brunette from travelling downward. Eyelids flickering nervously, CeCe tried to sober up.  
  
"W-Wait." CeCe requested against her sexual libido's own wishes.  
  
As if the blonde's skin was on fire, Melissa ceased all further exploration of CeCe's body. She would never pressure her girlfriend into doing anything, or take something that CeCe wasn't ready to give. It was the most important part of their relationship; unconditional trust and sympathetic understanding.   
  
"You don't need to ask me twice." Melissa nodded with a warm smile.  
  
Melissa retracted her hand upward, at a respectable distance above her girlfriend's abdomen. She flounced her head onto the pillow beside CeCe. Inches away from the shorter woman's face, her fingers traced soothing patterns along CeCe's ribcage encouraging the blonde to disclose whatever worries afflicted her mind.  
  
"I have something important to tell you." CeCe muttered, "C-Can you turn the lights on?"  
  
One arm remained tucked under CeCe's waist as Melissa reached around the blonde to click the switch of a lamp that laid on top of the nightstand. Warm, white light engulfed the bedroom, illuminating every single one of CeCe's many beautiful features. Melissa's pupils clouded over with lust, but she kept herself in control.  
  
"I was thinking about how people go around hiding behind fallacies. Alison kept kissing sleazy men like Darren Wilden in order to hide her feelings for Emily. It's heartbreaking." CeCe refused to look at Melissa as she spoke, "There is one last thing about me that I need you to know."  
  
"What is it?" Melissa coaxed softly.  
  
Melissa's palm ran across her girlfriend's neck, curling her knuckles on the blonde's chin, she beckoned the smaller woman to look at her. Melissa needed CeCe to know that nothing she confessed would ever change their feelings for one another. It was as elementary as the sun being yellow and the grass being green, Melissa loved CeCe, it was as uncomplicated as that.  
  
"My real name is..." CeCe uttered meekly, "Charlotte. Charlotte DiLaurentis."  
  
The brunette's lips parted slightly, breath hitched. Melissa's face contorted into an unreadable expression. An assortment of emotions and sensations flashed across the taller woman's eyes. The blonde grasped the bedsheets tightly, anxiously expecting some form of reaction from her girlfriend.  
  
"Charlotte." Melissa whispered the name like an incantation, "Charlotte DiLaurentis."  
  
A longstanding charade came to an abrupt end, the shroud that was CeCe Drake had been lifted once and for all. The foretold convergence of the heavens and the earth, Charlotte's celestial blue orbs aligned with Melissa's terrestrial brown irises. The blonde's name had been sung by her soulmate's voice, with a graceful pitch, an elegant pronunciation. In that moment, basking in the glow from the fluorescent lamp, Melissa Hastings had finally met Charlotte DiLaurentis.

Her facial features softened, and she glided a hand up, cradling the blonde's cheek lovingly in her trembling palm. Melissa's chest swelled with a sense of accomplishment. Charlotte trusted her enough to reveal her identity.  
  
"Pleased to meet you, Charlotte DiLaurentis." Melissa beamed widely as she ran her fingers along the blonde's jawline, "And I'm pretty sure that I already love you."  
  
Relief washed over Charlotte's face, and it felt as though her heart had resumed beating, thumping against her breastbone. The raven-haired woman accepted her. For all of her faults and cracks, the real Charlotte was loved by Melissa Hastings, that devotion hadn't faltered.  
  
"The pleasure is all mine, Melissa Hastings." Charlotte grinned, leaning into her girlfriend's touch, "I love you, more than anything."  
  
Placing a chaste peck on the palm of Melissa's hand, the smaller woman surged forward and captured the brunette's lips before she had a chance to respond. Charlotte did her best to restrain at least some of the passion that was suddenly surging to the surface, but she needed to find reassurance. She constantly needed to be reminded of how much Melissa loved her. The blonde sought for it incessantly, devouring her girlfriend's mouth.   
  
Melissa willingly opened to Charlotte's hunger, matching fire with fire, with her own insatiable need. Two sets of hands roamed to the soundtrack of moans and the rustling of bedsheets. Melissa could barely breath as the shorter woman's palm took her breast. Driven by instinct, the brunette moved further into Charlotte. Hips against hips, moving slowly, intimating a well-rehearsed choreography.  
  
A wave of guilty invaded Melissa's conscious. She knew that Charlotte had been struggling with bothersome thoughts throughout the entire night. Heart hammering in a breathless manner, Melissa used both hands to push herself up on the mattress. Charlotte seemed desperate and vulnerable. The dark-haired woman needed a moment to assess the blonde's mental state of mind. Charlotte's comfort was her priority.  
  
"Do you want me to turn the lights back off?" Melissa offered, "And try to get back to sleep."  
  
"Can we k-keep them on?" Charlotte inquired meekly, biting her lower lip in an adorable fashion, "And remove the bedsheets? I don't want to sleep, not right now."  
  
Melissa adhered to her girlfriend's request. She peeled the bedsheets off from their bodies, exposing them to a chilly air. The cool atmosphere in the bedroom glazed upon their bare skin. A shiver went up Melissa's spine, but she focused on the magnificent creature sprawled beneath her. Charlotte wanted to be seen clearly.   
  
The brunette's gaze shifted, acknowledging the cute freckles on Charlotte's chest, the symmetry of her round breasts. It was like looking at the blonde for the first time. Every smooth curve was worth reevaluating.  
  
Charlotte, the scared girl behind the barrier of CeCe Drake, she had lowered her defenses and shown Melissa her unshielded self. The blonde lying before her was a completely different person. Unguarded and fragile, without any of the forced confidence or superficial flair of CeCe.  
  
"Of course." Melissa nodded with a tender smile, "But tonight, just relax for me."  
  
Charlotte was about to protest when the brunette swooped down and seized her lips. She pressed the blonde against the mattress, deepening the kiss before moving on to her inviting neck. Charlotte tipped her head back, sinking into her pillow and letting out a moan, a yearning plea for more contact. Melissa took her time in exploring the blonde's skin with her hands while her mouth became preoccupied with the golden-haired woman's lips once again.   
  
The slow pace seemed to suit Charlotte, she arched herself upward, allowing Melissa full access to the landscape of her own body. Every valley, every soft swell, there was an abundance of terrain to cover, traits and secrets about the blonde's body that only Melissa would ever know. Birthmarks and blemishes aligned to make constellations that only Melissa could chart.

Charlotte was ticklish around the ribs. Melissa attained this particular fact on their first intimidate night together. A light touch with her fingertips was able to send the blonde into a fit of giggles. Melissa had to make firm caresses when her palms wandered along Charlotte's torso, inappropriate laughter could lamentably diffuse a heated moment. A spot near the golden-haired girl's bellybutton was overly sensitive and she had to be treated gently.  
  
The atmosphere had shifted between them, a burning ache dwelled inside the brunette's soul. Melissa had to admit that Charlotte was vastly different now that the veil had fallen, the drastic change in her aura was tangible. Through the years, she had seen snippets of Charlotte, glimpses that the blonde would bury under layers and layers of feigned characteristics. Traumatized by how her family had rejected who she was, from the beginning, Charlotte faked the qualities that she assumed could appeal to Melissa. A charming ruthlessness, the concrete sense of self-worth that most the Hastings family exhibited, CeCe Drake was a suitor tailored for Melissa Hastings, formed out of brief and inefficient research.   
  
An erroneous conclusion, Melissa had not fallen in love with the forgeries that Charlotte weaved around her. She saw past the glittery magic that the blonde could concoct out of thin air. Melissa was not a victim of Charlotte's fraudulence. She was a predisposed participant in the games that her girlfriend played. The scene partner in the noir film that Charlotte scored, produced, and starred in her mind, Melissa could recite every line that the golden-haired woman wrote for her.  
  
With every kiss and through her caresses, Melissa wanted to transcribe that she had always known the truth about Charlotte's buried existence, long before their formal introduction. Exploring the blonde's mouth, her hand pressing against the smaller girl's breast, CeCe was already a ghost of Melissa's past, Charlotte was her future.  
  
Never one to be bested, Charlotte tried to take command of the situation by flipping them over, but Melissa's fingers were fast to circle her wrists. Using her hands to pin Charlotte's arms down on the mattress, the brunette's sole task became ravishing her girlfriend's mouth. Teeth bit down on Charlotte's lower lip, and then smoothed the agitated skin with her tongue.  
  
In order to liberate herself from any manual restrictions, Melissa guided the shorter girl's hands up to her shoulders. Charlotte obliged, snaking her arms around Melissa's neck. The blonde's obedience was rewarded with a wild and all-consuming kiss.   
  
It was becoming evident to Charlotte that Melissa was trying to prove something. The blonde whimpered when Melissa's lips detached themselves from her mouth, even if two sets of lungs had been strained beyond their biological capacities. Panting heavily from the lack of air, the raven-haired woman rested their foreheads together.   
  
"I love you, Charlotte." Melissa purred, nuzzling into her girlfriend.  
  
When Charlotte met her eyes, Melissa was spellbound. She had been under the scrutiny of CeCe’s gaze many times, but the depths of Charlotte's pupils seemed endless. Her cyan irises were luminous, looking up at Melissa as if she were the most beautiful thing in the universe. Identical wreaths of dark lashes blinked slowly, almost as if Charlotte was afraid to scare Melissa with her devotion.   
  
"I love you too, Melissa." Charlotte's love declarations always sounded more certain.

Flashes of memories swept through Melissa's mind, the summary of an incomparable love story. Charlotte's facial expressions held poetic words, idealistic promises, and sincere benedictions that no language could accurately portray or dignify to the proper esteem. Melissa was the blonde's lifelong goal, an acquisition that Charlotte feared she would eventually lose.  
  
The short interlude was over, Melissa had refurbished her respiratory system with oxygen and she dove back down to kiss her girlfriend. The brunette would inscribe a proclamation onto her girlfriend's flesh, a message that stated how much Melissa truly loved Charlotte DiLaurentis, swearing to never abandon the golden-haired woman.   
  
A guttural moan emerged from the back of Charlotte's throat, signaling Melissa's cue. She sprang apart from the blonde's mouth, accessing her beloved's flustered face. The taller woman observed the glistening tears at the corners of Charlotte's eyes, two large spheres that seemed like sapphires to Melissa. Unyielding trust was painted across Charlotte's cobalt irises. Melissa's hand cupped the blonde's cheek, thumb wandering to stroke Charlotte's lower lip. It was endearing, how easily the gorgeous girl permitted Melissa to touch her.   
  
"Mel..." Charlotte moaned softly.  
  
Arms weak from sustaining herself over the blonde, Melissa settled down beside her girlfriend, sinking into the mattress. She wasted no time, latching onto Charlotte's waist and scooping her body up. The brunette bowed one of shorter woman's knees over her hips, wordlessly instructing Charlotte to wrap her legs around Melissa's torso. A loud moan reverberated throughout the bedroom when Melissa pressed her stomach against the center of Charlotte's spread thighs.  
  
Losing all their senses against one another, breathing scents into the bottom of their lungs. The blonde's skin was soft beneath Melissa's gentle fingertips. Colors brightened behind Charlotte's eyelids, and an acute awareness of the constraints of her thumping heart.  
  
Unable to restrain her overflooding emotions, the quivering blonde clenched her fists into a mane of raven curls, her face buried in Melissa's voluminous hair. Charlotte's whimpers and grunts sounded like a majestic symphony against Melissa's ears. The brunette kept rocking her abdomen between Charlotte's legs, building momentum and creating friction. She smiled as her precious girlfriend cried out unconstrained, reclining her head back to look at Melissa. It was stunningly angelic, the blush on Charlotte's pale skin, the reddened flush on her neck, and the labored breath. Every gasp of air that Charlotte took was an intoxicating sight to behold.   
  
Aroused beyond her limits, Melissa plummeted forward and claimed Charlotte's lips. She wormed her tongue into the blonde's mouth as her fingers disappeared along a different sacred threshold on Charlotte's body. Nails dug into the brunette's back, the blue-eyed woman shifted her hips, complying with Melissa. She repositioned herself to accommodate the dark-haired girl's motions, burying her face into the crook of Melissa's neck.  
  
"Please..." Charlotte mumbled against Melissa's collarbone.  
  
One-syllable commands provided enough directions for the brunette. Adjusting her grip on Charlotte's waist, Melissa found an appropriate rhythm of movement. In a symbolic way, it felt as if the golden-haired woman had reverted back to a tender virgin. This was the first time that Melissa would be making love to Charlotte, the girl behind a multitude of convincing costumes. It was a milestone worth cherishing, the way that Charlotte yelped out Melissa's name in a more subdued manner, rather than with CeCe's confident pronunciation. With every thrust of her hand, Melissa became more committed to Charlotte, a name that she whispered into a bundle of blonde tresses.

Charlotte writhed from the pleasure of Melissa's sensual ministrations, trembling against the brunette's chest. It was raw, the rush of blood to her head, a blissful feeling that coiled around Charlotte's chest and filled her with warmth, but the possibility of losing Melissa's love was too tangible even then. Tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto the brunette's chest. Cool droplets slid between Melissa's breasts, mixing with heated sweat, a change in temperature that the dark-haired woman felt.  
  
Melissa knew why Charlotte was weeping quietly, burrowing her face away from the brunette's line of vision. Melissa's nose brushed against Charlotte's wet locks, begging the blonde to lift her head. Sniffles and choked sobs, Melissa's hand gravitated toward her girlfriend's humid cheek, forcing Charlotte to look up at her.  
  
When the blonde finally conceded and glanced at Melissa, her pupils widened in surprise. Running down olive skin, tears also pooled around Melissa's eyes, puffy and reddened retinas stared back at Charlotte.   
  
"Do you _finally_ get it?" Melissa whispered, centimeters away from Charlotte's face, "How much I love you?"  
  
Nothing else had to be spoken, Charlotte nodded softly, slumping against her girlfriend's chest. Her legs untangled themselves from Melissa's hips, seeking a more comfortable arrangement. The brunette realigned herself around Charlotte's body, serving as the smaller woman's pillow. Fingers threaded through Charlotte's golden curls, petting and caressing the unruly tresses.   
  
When Charlotte's breathing steadied, sleep overcoming her, Melissa turned off the lamp on the nightstand. She grabbed the bedsheets, covering the shivering blonde and herself with them. Melissa pressed a few innocent kisses over Charlotte's face, successfully transforming the thin line of her girlfriend's lips into a content smile.  
  
Happiness eluded the blonde's life, despite all of Melissa's valiant efforts. Ghouls from the past hindered even their shortest reprieves. At least during these nocturne affairs, the star-cross couple renounced their feuding families, ignoring their titles as the eldest children of two clans who had condemned themselves to inconsequential war. Hastings and DiLaurentis, neither albatross mattered. Only Melissa and Charlotte existed, with the limbs of their exhausted bodies intertwined, paralleling the fate of each girl's destiny.


	26. A Girl Reflects On Her Future

Chapter 26

A Girl Reflects On Her Future

* * *

 

A shimmering ray of light shone through the window, thin curtains weren't enough to stop the sun from presenting the morning into the apartment. The bright beams pierced the purple-colored drapery, illuminating the room with an ethereal violet glow. A magical atmosphere, Melissa's eyes fluttered open, her pupils adjusting to glittery shades lavender and indigo. Instead of slipping out of the bed, the raven-haired woman laid awake on the mattress, two arms firmly wrapped around her slumbering girlfriend.  
  
Charlotte DiLaurentis. Her golden curls sprawled out on the pillow, glimmering like a halo, an angelic being. A beautiful sight to behold, awakening with Charlotte pressed firmly against her chest never failed to take Melissa's breath away. The raven-haired woman's hand glided up to the blonde's face, her fingers trailed along Charlotte's jawline. Stirring awake with a soft groan, the smaller girl leaned into Melissa's touch, greeting the new day with a smile.  
  
"Morning, Mel." Charlotte stifled a yawn as she stretched.  
  
"Morning, Charlotte." Melissa grinned happily, whispering the blonde's name as if she were casting a spell.  
  
A chuckle escaped Charlotte's lips as she snuggled into her girlfriend's collarbone, an arm draped across Melissa's stomach. There was so much that had to be done, but Charlotte wanted to prolong this moment, to burrow herself into the brunette's embrace and forget about the rest of the world.  
  
"Charlotte." Melissa hummed, "It sounds so gorgeous, so regal. I love saying it."  
  
"You're silly." Charlotte blushed in spite of herself.  
  
"Charlotte, like the heroic black widow spider from _Charlotte's Web_." Melissa noted, "Lying to save Wilbur, her best friend."  
  
"Hm." Charlotte pressed a kiss on Melissa's neck.  
  
"Charlotte, like Charlotte Corday a controversial figure of the French Revolution who was executed by guillotine for the assassination of Jacobin leader Jean-Paul Marat." Melissa recounted.  
  
"That's not a great comparison." Charlotte pecked a tender spot under Melissa's jaw.  
  
"Charlotte, like Charlotte Lucas, a character from _Pride and Prejudice_." Melissa bit back a moan as Charlotte's hand wandered along her navel.  
  
"Are you an encyclopedia?" Charlotte burst into laughter.  
  
Well, excuse me for being excited about learning my girlfriend's name." Melissa tightened her grip on Charlotte's waist.  
  
"Nice answer." Charlotte nodded, her hand tracing patterns across Melissa's stomach, "Thank you, for liking my n-name."  
  
A thump against her ear, Charlotte had literally just heard Melissa's heart skip a beat. The raven-haired woman understood how much Charlotte's identity meant to her, meant to the both of them.   
  
Curling her up her fingers against the blonde's chin, Melissa used her knuckles to lift Charlotte's head, forcing her to gaze into a pair of glazed brown irises. Melissa moved downward, capturing her girlfriend's lips tenderly. A lingering kiss, innocent and chaste, conveying the message of committed love rather than one of unreliable lust. Melissa pulled back from Charlotte's mouth, cuddling around the smaller woman's body.  
  
In the midst of the chaos raging around her, Charlotte felt safe. Snuggling into her girlfriend's warm arms, the blonde ignored the pestering voices inside her head. She hadn't been taking her anti-psychotic pills in weeks, afraid of the medication's debilitating effect. Charlotte couldn't afford to be drowsy or weak, not when Darren Wilden was harassing Melissa.  
  
Head tucked into Melissa's neck, the blue-eyed woman buried her nose into a mane of raven hair. She inhaled the brunette's calming scent, allowing the mixture of strawberry and cinnamon to soothe her nerves. Melissa always quieted the noises, eradicating the murmurs that echoed in Charlotte's mind. Sensing the blonde's distress, Melissa silently petted her girlfriend's lower back.

For a long period of time, the two young women laid on the mattress, exchanging loving caresses and whispering tender phrases. Although the minutes continued to tick away, sand grains falling down to the bottom of an hour-glass, Melissa and Charlotte had set aside their responsibilities in favor of cherishing a moment that felt fleeting despite each girl's best efforts to keep one another from unraveling.

* * *

Eight strips of bacon, four fried eggs, four pieces of toast, divided equally among two plates. Twin glasses of orange juice, matching mugs of freshly brewed coffee. A container of butter, a jar of strawberry jam, a bottle of maple syrup, condiments adorned the center of the table, adequate utensils near each dish. Breakfast was served.    
  
Melissa accessed the meal she had just prepared, satisfied with the results. Dizzy and fatigued her head spun from the lack of caffeine in her system. A grumble echoed in her stomach, a formal complaint of hunger. She was famished, but Charlotte was still locked inside the bathroom.  
  
After almost an hour, Charlotte was most likely inspecting each and every blemish that Melissa had engraved into her ivory skin. A smug smirk appeared on the brunette's face as she sat down on the dining table. Melissa would probably need to purchase more concealer, a cosmetic item that suffered from overuse.  
  
"Three red marks on my neck!" Charlotte declared as she entered the dining room, "Three, Melissa, three!"  
  
"I couldn't commit to one particular spot to suck on." Melissa explained with a playful shrug.  
  
"You monster." Charlotte giggled, taking a seat in front of Melissa.  
  
Stabbing her for into a piece of bacon, Charlotte could never grow tired of Melissa's cooking. The crisp pork strip was fried to perfection, crunchy and juicy. The eggs were splendid, cooked to an ideal temperature, sprinkled with a precise amount of salt to enhance the flavor and topped with garnish for decoration. Melissa was capable of embellishing even the simplest of meals.  
  
Charlotte had not felt the pangs of hunger until her first bite of food. Realizing that she was famished, the blonde began to eat quickly. Splitting a slice of toast and dabbling the portion of bread in a yolk, Charlotte devoured almost every item on her plate.   
  
Placing an absurd amount of sugary cubes in her mug, Melissa was keenly interested in drinking her coffee. Swirling the spoon around, she blew on the beverage, hoping to cool down the steaming liquid.  
  
"I took the liberty of picking out the costumes that you and Wilden will be wearing at the Halloween Train." Charlotte informed Melissa between gulps of orange juice, "A is forcing you guys to go as the Queen of Hearts from _Alice In Wonderland_."  
  
"A queen, huh?" Melissa smirked suggestively, "I guess that I did very well last night..."  
  
A faint blush adorned Charlotte's cheeks, she averted her eyes sheepishly. Fork poking at the remainder of the bacon, shoving the strip into her mouth. The blonde was embarrassed. Charlotte didn't want to remember how vulnerable she had felt when disclosing her true name to Melissa.  
  
Reaching from across the table, Melissa cupped the golden-haired woman's face. She tenderly stroked Charlotte chin with her thumb, pulling her close and capturing the blonde's lips. Melissa kissed Charlotte lovingly, savoring the residual of bacon and eggs on her girlfriend's tongue. She had to admit that the flavor of every food always tasted better coming from Charlotte's mouth.   
  
Melissa pulled away slightly, brushing a loose curl out from Charlotte's face. She could perceive that something troubled her girlfriend. The brunette suspected that the bottle of unused medication she had found in Charlotte’s purse.  
  
"Thank you, Ce." Melissa whispered, "For trusting me with this."  
  
"I trust you with my life, Mel." Charlotte proclaimed, "But I need to be sure that you can handle Wilden and-"  
  
"It'll be fine." Melissa interjected with nonchalance.

Tilting back on the chair, Melissa finished sipping her coffee. A thought suddenly crossed her mind; Detective Darren Wilden could investigate where the costume was bought and who made the purchase.   
  
"We need to get rid of the security footage." Melissa sighed.  
  
"No, I placed a fraudulent order for the disguises online, under Darren's name, and to be delivered to his house." Charlotte reassured, "I have no connection to them."  
  
"Except being at the shop, browsing for costumes." Melissa arched an eyebrow knowingly.  
  
Without a doubt, Charlotte had been recorded by the security cameras in the store, gazing upon the merchandise. To make matters worse, Darren knew everything that pertained to Charlotte DiLaurentis. Her status as a hidden mental patient at the Radley Sanitarium, the truth about Bethany Young, secrets that not even Melissa was fully aware of.  
  
"Hey." Melissa murmured, "I'll take care of it."  
  
"How?" Charlotte cocked her head to the side.  
  
"I'll sneak into the costume shop. If I'm caught, I have my lawyer mother to bail me out." Melissa explained, "It would also be in Darren's best interest to help me."  
  
"It sounds too risky." Charlotte shook her head, "Let me do it, or I'll ask Mona-"  
  
"No. Mona and Toby can't be trusted to delete video footage showing CeCe Drake's face." Melissa chided, "They will figure out who Red Coat is, the fact that the enigmatic figure resembles Alison as much as you do is already incriminating enough."  
  
With a solemn nod, the blonde conceded to her girlfriend's scheme. She started to fiddle with a golden lock of hair, already dreading the arrival of the night. Charlotte was still full of concerns and fears, but Melissa was a highly competent woman. She had faith that the brunette could handle the situation.  
  
"On the plus side, I'd have to wear your burglar outfit." Melissa cooed in a persuasive tone, "Wouldn't you love to see me in a hoodie?"  
  
"Well, hm. Yeah, I sort of have been dying to see how you look in the official A-Team uniform." Charlotte relented a small smile, "But you have to call me if anything happens. Deal?"  
  
"Alright, alright." Melissa compromised, "You're the Bonnie to my Clyde."  
  
For some reason, the brunette's statement caused Charlotte to scowl. She huffed and crossed her arms. Melissa was accustomed to her girlfriend's unstable temperament, but she couldn't figure out what had triggered the drastic mood shift.  
  
"I thought that you were the Bonnie to Ian's Clyde." Charlotte quipped with a bitter frown.  
  
Brown eyes widened at the discovery that Charlotte was still envious of Ian Thomas after all these years. Scoffing with disappointment, Melissa knew that these illogical outbursts happened when Charlotte refrained from taking her prescribed medicine.  
  
"And I thought that you were taking your medication." Melissa countered.  
  
"That's not what this is about." Charlotte growled, "I'm not feeling jealous because of my condition!"  
  
"Stop deflecting!" Melissa barked back, "You made me a promise."  
  
Shuffling into her pocket, Melissa procured a medication bottle. Charlotte groaned as the raven-haired woman slid two tablets in her direction.  
  
"Take the pills." Melissa ordered sternly.  
  
"I already did." Charlotte lied, avoiding Melissa's intense gaze.  
  
"You're lying." Melissa gritted her teeth.  
  
Melissa's hand reached over the table and latched on to the blonde's wrist, pulling her arm out. She placed the two tablets on Charlotte's palm, closing the smaller girl's fingers into a fist.  
  
"And don't you ever think that Ian Thomas meant anything more to me than a pitiful substitute for you." Melissa chastised, "I love you, Charlotte. So please, take them."  
  
An overpowering sense of shame washed over Charlotte, her head slumping forward. She propped the tablets into her mouth, washing them down her throat with a gulp of orange juice. The blonde felt the tips of Melissa's fingers brush against her cheek, a kiss pressed on her forehead.

"Thank you, baby." Melissa muttered softly, "We can spend the entire day watching movies on the couch."  
  
"The entire day?" Charlotte watched Melissa's mouth twist into a smirk.  
  
"The entire day." Melissa confirmed, pecking the blonde's nose.  
  
Charlotte instantly perked up, her facial features softened. Under the table, she gave Melissa's leg a nudge with her foot, toes dragged along the brunette's calf. Charlotte smiled apologetically at her girlfriend, grateful for the raven-haired woman's casual dismissal of her recent transgressions. Melissa was never one to dwell on Charlotte's tantrums, which made her feel better about herself, as if the blonde's conniption had not been abnormal.  
  
Melissa began clearing the plates, humming a cheerful tune, sneaking flirtatious glances at Charlotte. She ventured to the kitchen, carrying the soiled dishes. The blonde trailed behind with the used utensils and dirty cups, disposing them in the sink. Charlotte grabbed a rag to wipe down the table while Melissa washed the dinnerware.  
  
As each woman became dedicated to their respective task with determined purpose. Melissa scrubbed the platters and cups, drying them and storing them in the cabinets. Charlotte cleaned the dining room, sweeping crumbs from the floor and swabbing the surface of the table. Falling into domestic routine, the two girls were as synchronized as a married couple, as a pair of people who meant to be together, an ideology that Melissa truly believed but Charlotte always doubted.

 


	27. A Girl Dons A Costume

Chapter 27

A Girl Dons A Costume

* * *

 

The sun slowly rose from behind the clouds, announcing the arrival of the morning. Rays of light fell upon Charlotte's face, stirring her awake. She draped her arm around Melissa's waist, snuggling against the brunette's chest. Hours passed as Charlotte wove in and out of slumber, trying to forget that it was Halloween. Since she wasn't going to spend her favorite holiday with Melissa, nothing demanded more urgent attention than the raven-haired woman. Charlotte was going to relish her time with Melissa, touching her lover's toned abdomen, caressing each firm muscle. The blonde's stomach rumbled loudly from beneath the bedsheets. Awoken by Charlotte's insatiable hunger, Melissa laughed, pecking her girlfriend's forehead gently.  
  
“Good morning.” Melissa muttered against Charlotte's skin, “Happy Halloween!"  
  
"Trick or treat." Charlotte smiled.  
  
A sudden vibration coming from the nightstand startled both young women. Being nearest to the bedside furniture, Melissa reached out and grabbed the buzzing mobile phone that laid on top of the surface. Unhooking the charger cable, she realized that the device belonged to “CeCe Drake." A rare occurance, for that persona's handheld phone to ring rather than the modified gadget used by "Red Coat."   
  
A message from an unknown caller, Melissa handed over the mobile phone to Charlotte. The golden-haired groaned, inspecting the call screen with genuine frustration. Her eyes widened when she read the electronic message, Charlotte gasped as she sat up on the mattress. Melissa propped herself up with an elbow, arching an eyebrow as the blonde eagerly replied to someone. Although it seemed ridiculous, a pang of jealousy had bubbled inside of Melissa's chest.  
  
"Who is it?" Melissa cleared her throat, containing her unwarranted disgruntlement.  
  
"Ezra." Charlotte seemed bewildered, "He wants to meet up with me tonight and talk about Alison."  
  
"But it's Halloween." Melissa was annoyed, "And why is Ezra even contacting you? Did you date him too?"  
  
A possessive Melissa was impossible to deal with. Charlotte rolled her eyes. The blonde could have sworn that she told her girlfriend about the torrid affair of Ezra Fitzgerald and Alison DiLaurentis, a meaningless summer fling.  
  
"Alison dated him." Charlotte quipped, "I love how cute you get when you're jealous."  
  
"I'm not jealous." Melissa huffed as Charlotte typed on the small keyboard, "Anyways. What are you going to do?"  
  
Sending the message to Ezra, the golden-haired girl slumped against the bed's headboard. She was silent as a reverberation indicated that the young man had replied. Charlotte glanced at the response before passing the mobile phone to Melissa. Implementing a policy of full-disclosure with each other alleviated some of the unavailable toxic aspects of their relationship.  
  
"Ezra's offering you money..." Melissa read the screen on Charlotte's handheld device.  
  
"And CeCe Drake would never turn down the chance to snag a quick buck." Charlotte sighed, "I have to go."  
  
"That's fine. Toby is going to place Bethany's body on the train, Darren will be on board chasing false leads, Garrett plans to leave Rosewood for good, and I can keep everything under control." Melissa eased Charlotte's concerns, "I'm capable of targeting Aria now, since she'll be the only one there without a date."  
  
"Not the only one..." Charlotte grumbled, "I don't like the idea of leaving you alone."  
  
"And I'm telling you that I can take care of myself." Melissa smirked smugly, "Soon Darren will be knocking on my door, asking me about who 'A' might be, and while you listen in from the closed bedroom door, I'll be playing my role like an expert actress. I promise that you'll regret ever doubting my ability to deceive."  
  
"Well, you were in the Drama Club." Charlotte quipped, muttering an afterthought under her breath, "With Ian."  
  
"And now who is being irrationally jealous?" Melissa chuckled, " _Again_?"

Gliding her palm along Charlotte's thigh, the taller woman slipped her hand under the blonde's dress. Melissa's fingers poked at Charlotte's stomach, stroking all the spots on her golden-haired lover's skin that she knew were sensitive to a light touch. Charlotte tried to scoot away from Melissa's reach, giggling as the brunette mercilessly tickled her. Melissa crawled on top of Charlotte, hovering over her trembling girlfriend.  
  
"Okay. I give up!" Charlotte conceded, staring up at Melissa.  
  
"I accept your surrender." Melissa leaned down and kissed Charlotte's nose briefly, "Now go take a shower, and I'll make breakfast."  
  
"You spoil me." Charlotte grinned as Melissa hopped off from the mattress.  
  
"Just don't use up all the hot water." Melissa smirked, "Again."  
  
"That was one time!" Charlotte argued.  
  
"No, it's every time." Melissa teased, "Every single time."  
  
Smoothing down her camisole, Melissa sauntered out of the bedroom. The blonde laid on the mattress, smiling like an lovestruck idiot as her girlfriend disappeared into the hallway. Charlotte had to admit that she could never imagine sharing a dawn with anyone other than Melissa Hastings.

* * *

A stack of cinnamon-flavored pancakes topped with orange frosting awaited Charlotte when she stepped into the dining room. A delicious smell wafted through the air. Melissa greeted the blue-eyed woman with a kiss on the cheek, heading toward the bathroom. The brunette was already running late for her classes, but she knew that Charlotte loved Halloween, so Melissa felt obligated to cook a specially themed treat for her girlfriend.   
  
"These pancakes are amazing!" Charlotte gushed as she took a seat in front of her spooky breakfast meal.  
  
"Happy Halloween, Charlotte." Melissa exited the room with a smile, "Hope that you left me some hot water!"  
  
Melissa looked forward to taking a long shower and clearing her mind. She treaded down the corridor, her thoughts lingering on the Halloween Train party. The brunette didn't want Charlotte to worry, but a lot of people were going to be present on the festive locomotive. According to the surveillance information Mona and Toby had gathered, every sinister resident of Rosewood was expected to attend. Noel Kahn and Jenna Marshall, a nefarious duo. Lucas Gottesman, a cowardly boy that used to be Charlotte's friend from camp. Jason DiLaurentis, the half-brother that Melissa shares with her girlfriend.  
  
The raven-haired woman was aware that Charlotte cared deeply for their green-eyed sibling, so she had to consider Jason's safety as an important factor while simultaneously protecting her little sister. Regardless of the transgressions that Spencer had committed against her, Melissa would never allow harm to befall on the younger brunette.  
  
Acting out the role of A was essentially becoming an omnipresent being, either a benevolent guardian or judgmental vigilante. Spencer was her top priority, but since Charlotte held affection for both Jason and Lucas, her beloved brother and the young man who served as his temporary replacement, Melissa had to supervise over all three of them. To safeguard the people who mattered, Darren needed to be distracted with a sacrificial lamb. If Ezra wanted to waste Charlotte's time with a questionnaire, Melissa was going to set her sights on Aria. It would be karmic to persuade Darren to target the dark-haired girl.   
  
From casual conversations with Veronica over a mother-daughter lunch outing,  Garrett had disclosed the story of Byron Montgomery meeting with Alison DiLaurentis to everyone at the police department, an attempt at creating a new suspect in the murder investigation. With Darren as the detective in charge of Garrett's persecution, he should be easily swayed into believing that "A" stood for "Aria" with a few choice words.

Slipping out of her clothes as she entered the bathroom, Melissa walked under the nozzle. She turned on the faucet, allowing warm water to cascade over her body. It was a cathartic experience, calming down Melissa's nerves. She was a bit excited. The brunette understood Charlotte's obsession with being A, the rush of adrenaline that came with manipulating and lying to someone could become addicting.  
  
Mona was confined to the Radley Sanitarium for the night. Charlotte claimed that the mental facility was impossible to sneak out of during Halloween, the security staff was doubled on the nocturnal shift. Melissa sighed with relief, grateful for the fact that Mona would be imprisoned inside the institution. The young fiend was a menacing influence, always actively trying to uncover the identity of the new A.  
  
Squeezing some shampoo from a bottle onto her palm, Melissa began to lather the haircare product into her dark curls. Her eyes closed, fingers stroking raven tresses. She massaged her scalp, the viscous liquid converting into a foam before being rinsed out. Scrubbing soap against her arms, Melissa felt a cold breeze. The shower curtain had been slid to the side, revealing Charlotte with an amused expression on her face. The gorgeous blonde was completely nude, strutting into the cubicle with a flirtatious demeanor.  
  
"I thought that you'd like some company." Charlotte purred as she wrapped her arms around Melissa's waist.  
  
"I have a class at eleven in the morning, and it's already ten." Melissa arched an eyebrow.  
  
"You're right." Charlotte bit her lower lip, pouting in a seductive manner, "Then I should leave."  
  
Charlotte leaned in slowly, her breasts purposely brushed against Melissa's abdomen as she stretched upward to reach the taller woman's face. Pecking the brunette's cheek innocently, Charlotte ran her fingers along Melissa's shoulders. A desperate, guttural sound erupted from the raven-haired girl's throat, the reaction that Charlotte had hoped to elicit.  
  
Melissa surged forward, smashing her mouth onto the shorter girl's lips without warning. Charlotte snaked her arms around the dark-haired woman's neck, kissing Melissa back passionately. The brunette started to leave a trail of nibbles across Charlotte's jawline. The blonde craned her head, giving Melissa's hands access to wander all over her body.  
  
Pushing Charlotte against the shower wall, the brunette's palm grazed against one of her girlfriend's round breasts. Her thumb caressed the sensitive flesh, causing the blonde to whimper. Melissa repeated her action, this time in a broader, stronger motion, grinning as Charlotte's body trembled under her ministrations. The golden-haired woman's hips rolled forward, her breathing became erratic. The faucet continued to run, the trickle of the streaming water harmonized with a set of alternating moans, creating a melody that reverberated throughout the bathroom.   
  
In Charlotte's humble defense, two whole days had passed without the indulgence of Melissa's gentle touch. The University of Pennsylvania would still be in the same place waiting for Melissa whenever she was able to finish taking her shower. After an entire semester of poor attendance, most professors were accustomed to the raven-haired woman's lack of punctuality, a bad habit Melissa had developed ever since her reconciliation with Charlotte. As the blonde's fingertips caressed her skin, Melissa accepted that tardiness was a welcomed vice, one that she didn't want to find a permanent solution for.

* * *

It had been a strenuous and toilsome day. Lectures were taxing, surrounded with students dressed in shades of orange and black, celebrating the pagan festivity. It served as a bitter reminder that Melissa would not be able to spend Halloween night with her beloved girlfriend. Separated from Charlotte for another holiday, she garnered a foul mood by the arrival of her final class.

Darren Wilden was a predictable man. The moment that he appeared in front of her Mercedes-Benz sedan, Melissa's stomach dropped. The police officer had placed a large box on top of the brunette's car. His expression was stern, beady cobalt eyes narrowed at Melissa as she approached him tentatively.  
  
"Do you know who A is?" Darren barked at Melissa, "Did a friend of yours send me this gift?"  
  
"What are you blabbering on about?" Melissa played dumb, deactivating her sedan's alarm with a click of her key-chain remote.  
  
"Someone sent me these two costumes, telling me to take a friend and go on the Halloween Train." Darren sneered, blocking Melissa from boarding her vehicle by standing in front of the car door, "This A person knows stuff about me, just like Garrett does. Bribes that I've taken, things that I've done."  
  
"And how is that _my_ problem?" Melissa challenged.  
  
"Because if I go down, Spencer goes down." Darren grabbed the box from the roof of Melissa's automobile, shoving the rectangular case into the brunette's arms, "You are going to help me find A."  
  
Although she had to maintain her disgruntled facade by acting frustrated, Melissa wanted to see the costume that Charlotte purchased. Opening the lid, a red velvet fabric was revealed. A full-face mask was positioned over the outfit. The entire disguise was bejeweled with beads and gems, glitter adorned the garment. Melissa inspected the craftsmanship, the assemble was costly. The brunette's mouth twisted into a small smile as her thoughts drifted off to Charlotte's attentiveness. The golden-haired girl spared no expense when it came to Melissa.  
  
"Do you need a moment alone with the costume?" Darren's gruff voice pulled Melissa away from her affectionate musings for Charlotte.  
  
"Don't be absurd." Melissa snapped harshly.  
  
The blue-eyed man had noticed Melissa's shift in demeanor. Her soft expression as she accessed the disguise was hard to miss. The raven-haired girl straightened her posture, staring at Darren intently. She knew that her admiration for the Queen of Hearts costume had been evident, a mistake that the brunette would rectify. Melissa closed the box, shoving Darren as she pushed by him to open her car's door.  
  
"Meet me by the rear end of the train at eight in the evening. That's in two hours." Darren snarled as Melissa slid into the driver's seat, "Drive safely."  
  
Securing the box on the passenger's chair, Melissa ignored Darren's parting quip, an ominous threat about his capability to hurt her and subsequently hide behind the badge that symbolized a duty to uphold the law. Police officers covered for one another, Melissa knew that Darren had the upper hand. She slammed shut her automobile's door, driving out of the parking lot, watching through the side-mirror as Darren glared at the retreating black sedan.  
  
Melissa's hold on the steering wheel tightened as she released an exasperated breath. Darren was proving to be more perceptive than the brunette had initially anticipated. From here on out, her performance needed to be flawless, no more blatantly gushing over Charlotte or praising the blonde's exquisite taste. If Melissa's plan was going to succeed, she had to block out distractions, with her girlfriend being the most compromising one. 

* * *

Ravenswood, an eerie town located in Pennsylvania, approximately twenty miles between Brookhaven and Rosewood. The journey was long and treacherous, a single-lane road that seemed foreboding. Parking her red convertible by the sidewalk, Charlotte checked the message sent from Ezra to her mobile phone's screen, wondering if she had the correct address. The young man appeared to own two different apartments, one in Rosewood, the loft that Aria often visited, and another in Ravenswood, the place where he wanted "CeCe Drake" to meet him at.

Ezra Fitzgerald was like every rich boy that Charlotte had ever met. Offering nine-hundred dollars, he assumed that a girl like CeCe would fawn all over his wealth. Ezra wanted information on Alison, and he knew that the blonde's older friend could provide him with some insight. As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat, meaning that Charlotte felt compelled to discover why Ezra owned a secret lair.  
  
Flicking wavy locks back, Charlotte adjusted her dress. She stepped out of the red car and willed her feet to walk toward the apartment door. The blonde would rather be at the Halloween Train, watching over her girlfriend. She questioned Ezra's supposed love for Aria. Records from the costume shop indicated that the short brunette had purchased a costume of Daisy Buchanan, a character from F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous novel, The Great Gatsby. Aria was planning on going with Ezra to the locomotive celebration, but the blue-eyed man preferred to conduct some fruitless consultation on specifically the thirty-first of October, much to Charlotte's chagrin.  
  
A couple of knocks, Charlotte waited until the door swung open. Overdressed in a black formal suit, Ezra gave the blonde a polite nod as he ushered her inside.   
  
"Good evening, CeCe." Ezra greeted with a small smile, "Come on in."  
  
"Lead the way." Charlotte winked with her typical precocious flair.  
  
The dark-haired man guided Charlotte through a long hallway, entering a room full of propped investigation boards, an assortment of photographs and pictures plastered on the walls. Ezra had turned himself into an amateur detective, similar to the enigmatic figure known as A. Holding back a mischievous grin, Charlotte contemplated the similarities between herself and Ezra.  
  
"I'm writing a book about Alison." Ezra answered the inquiry that Charlotte had yet to make, "My theories on who killed her, a true-crime novel."  
  
"Wow, like Truman Capote." Charlotte quipped.  
  
"Y-Yes, exactly like him." Ezra was bewildered, giving Charlotte a confounded look before adverting his gaze, "Please, sit down."  
  
Ezra nervously gestured toward a table, holding out a chair for the blonde. His manners were more refined than the men Charlotte was acclimatized to dealing with, but he stared at her with the same condescending expression as other males had before him. Ezra was surprised that "CeCe Drake" knew who Truman Capote was. Sapphire irises glared at Charlotte with a glint of shock, as if the idea that an unprosperous woman could also be intellectual had never crossed Ezra's mind. He assumed that cultural insight was reserved for members of affluent clans like the pretentious Fitzgerald family.  
  
"My apologies. I'm sort of bad at this." Ezra admitted sheepishly.  
  
"I can tell." Charlotte smirked.  
  
Charlotte remained poised, despite Ezra's deplorable etiquette. The blonde graciously took seat that the snobbish man had pulled out for her, legs crossing when she settled down. Ezra began pouring tea into a pair cups, his hand trembling as he held the pot. It became apparent that the entitled boy was not used to hosting a guest. As Ezra struggled with the intricacies of adding two cubes of sugar, Charlotte's mind lingered on a certain dark-haired woman.  
  
Melissa Hastings had never made elitist presumptions, at least not about Charlotte. Even after being raised by two haughty attorneys, the brunette did not dare address her girlfriend in a patronizing manner. She viewed Charlotte like an equal, and treated her with respect. Her brown eyes never flickered with bafflement upon hearing that the blonde was well-versed in the poetic works of Shakespeare.   
  
"Careful, it's hot." Ezra slid a teacup in front of Charlotte, "I bet that you’re wondering why I asked you to meet me here. I have a few doubts, about Alison and her family. Since she spoke highly of you, I thought that your opinion would be of value to me."  
  
"Her family?" Charlotte lifted the brim of the teacup toward her lips.  
  
"Yes." Ezra grabbed a notepad, clicking his pen to commence the interview, "I want to know more about Jessica DiLaurentis. She is the head director at the Radley Sanitarium, an odd profession for a woman who claims to be a simple housewife."  
  
"I don't know much about her." Charlotte lie, “Only saw her a couple of times.”

"But Alison told me that you went on a trip to Cape May with her family." Ezra recalled, "You dated Jason DiLaurentis, right?"  
  
"Yes, but it was just a summer fling." Charlotte took a sip of her hot beverage.  
  
"Right." Ezra replied sharply, as if he was analyzing the blonde's response, "Are you dating anyone now?"  
  
"Are you interested?" Charlotte teased playfully.  
  
"Are you deflecting?" Ezra scoffed.  
  
"I thought that you wanted to know about Alison, not about me." Charlotte lowered the teacup abruptly, angered by Ezra's perceptive comments.  
  
"And you haven't answered the simple question." Ezra observed, "Do you currently have a boyfriend?"  
  
"No." Charlotte drawled out the word, "I don't have a boyfriend."  
  
From a technical point of view, Charlotte wasn't lying. A distinction that the blonde hoped would not be detected by Ezra Fitzgerald. In simple actuality, she had a _girlfriend_. Charlotte could have easily deny that she was dating someone, but a part of her clung on to a symbolic sense of loyalty to Melissa, an ultimately hollow gesture.  
  
"Hm." Ezra didn't believe Charlotte's response, he wrote something down on his notepad, "You see, the thing is, I believe that someone close to Alison is responsible for her death, not one of her infamous enemies."  
  
The blonde's breath hitched, afraid that Ezra was actually getting close to uncovering the truth about Alison's disappearance. A shrewd young man, Ezra had enough money to find the answers that he sought. A few people must have seen CeCe Drake with Melissa Hastings at Cape May, if he found one of those bystanders, both young women would be exposed. Charlotte shouldn't have turned herself into the focal point by evading his personal inquiries. Ezra was an unprecedented liability that Charlotte had to contempt with now. He yearned for a story worth writing about, and the golden-haired girl had to spin a web of believable lies in order to prevent him from obtaining any legitimate knowledge.  
  
The secrets of DiLaurentis family, macabre details from Charlotte's life at the Radley Sanitarium, her forbidden entanglement with the eldest Hastings heir, if everything floated up to the surface, the consequences would be unimaginably scandalous. She had to divert Ezra's research, but he wouldn't be entertained with the tale of bitter rivalry between Alison and Jenna Marshall, it was gossip that everyone in Rosewood discussed openly.   
  
Ezra desired a suspect that had a benevolent relationship with Alison. A prime candidate for the part, Spencer Hastings was roaming around her neighbor's backyard with a shovel. A police report filed by Jessica DiLaurentis rested in Darren Wilden's possession and served as damning evidence. With one efficient card left to play, Charlotte was faced with an impossible decision. The most feasible defensive tactic meant incriminating Spencer, a strategy that Melissa wouldn't approve of. Running a hand through her golden tresses, Charlotte took a couple of seconds to analyze her options before strengthening her resolve to protect Melissa above everything else. Her only move to play, Charlotte hoped that she was making the right choice.


	28. A Girl Loses Control

Chapter 28

A Girl Loses Control

* * *

 

Loud music, flashing lights, fake fog. Everyone wore costumes and disguises, making languid movements that could barely be considered "dancing." Banners hung from the ceiling and paper stickers adorned the walls. Decorations were colored black and orange, displaying the holiday's festive theme. Concessions stands with cheap drinks and pathetic snacks. Countless people were crammed inside a single compartment. After reviewing all of its aspects, it was clear that the Halloween Train event suffered from severely lackluster preparation.  
  
Melissa grew homesick as she navigated through a horde of attendees. Her mind lingered on the only girl who wasn't aboard the train. The young woman would have opted for staying at her apartment and watching horror films with Charlotte, but disposing of Bethany's corpse had to be prioritized. Darren needed to be presented with a viable suspect, someone who could steer his thoughts away from both Spencer Hastings and Jessica DiLaurentis.  
  
The raven-haired woman's outfit covered her from head to toe, the volatile Queen of Hearts from _Alice In Wonderland_. The mask was firmly attached to her face, her head fitted with a black hood, dark curls remained out of sight. A red cape latched on top of her shoulders, the skirt on the royal dress extended pass Melissa's feet, making it complicated for the girl to move her legs. Despite the constricts of her costume, Melissa gracefully sauntered through a multitude of drunken fools as an ominous figure.  
  
Seeking out her target, Melissa's eyes scanned around the carriage. It had been easy to convince Darren that Aria might be the elusive figure known as "A." Recalling Garrett's tale depicting how Byron Montgomery and Alison DiLaurentis met on the night that the blonde girl went missing, Darren became aware of Aria's hidden motives. She could be capable of tormenting him with anonymous messages if it meant protecting her father.  
  
A forbidden romance, clandestine dates shrouded with lies, Ezra Fitzgerald and Aria Montgomery weaved a life together that was filled with deception. Forced to hide the prohibited affair from the public, Aria and Ezra were deemed a problematic couple by society’s standards, even if they viewed their love as genuine. Both of them kept secrets from each other, shielding their true intentions. The story of Aria and Ezra angered Melissa on a personal level. Society would always deem the elicit relationship between a professor and his female pupil more pure than what Melissa had with Charlotte because of the arbitrary notions that romanticized predatory men.  
  
Envy and spite filled Melissa's heart when she spotted Aria from across the locomotive. Dressed as Daisy Buchanan from _The Great Gatsby_ with Ezra as the author of the novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald, the brunette girl sat at one of the train booth by herself. Aria was speaking to the lead singer of the featured band, a conversation that Melissa was not able to overhear as the rock music blasted on. The young brunette seemed saddened, probably due to disappointment caused by Ezra's absence. The irony could be viewed as comedic if it didn't feel so disheartening. Aria and Melissa shared a similar predicament, the two girls yearned to be with their blue-eyed significant other. Miles away from Rosewood, Ezra and Charlotte were being tormented by the same sentiment.  
  
Aria turned her attention to the window, using a finger to trace her name using the condensation that had gathered on the glass. She exchanged a few more words with the male musician before he walked away. When Aria was left  Melissa glided on by and slipped a narcotic in her drink. Perched at a nearby corner, Darren wore the same Queen of Hearts costume as Melissa. He lurked behind Aria, waiting for the effects of the drugs to sink in. The small girl began to doze off after a few sips of her compromised beverage. Darren scooped her up in his arms, the cloak of his garment draped around Aria.  
  
"Let's go." Darren whispered to Melissa, "Before anyone sees us."

As the brown-haired man snuck out of the compartment, Melissa wiped Aria's signature from off the window, only leaving the letter "A" as an omen for her friends to find. Following Darren at a safe distance, the dark-haired girl maneuvered between the festive herd of people. Darren carried Aria all the way to the rear end of the train, unnoticed by anyone other than Melissa who was trailing behind the sinister man.  
  
An ornamental chain dangling from Aria's neck dropped to the ground. It was difficult to see out of her mask, but Melissa managed to retrieve the fallen jewelry. She struggled to walk in her costume, stumbling with the oversized gown.  
  
"Hurry up!" Darren barked.  
  
Arriving at the last carriage, Darren shoved Aria into a standing crate. The unconscious girl slumped against the container, and the dishonored police officer slammed the lid shut. He spun around to face Melissa, removing his mask. Icy-blue irises stared at the raven-haired woman with disdain.  
  
"Did you know that Garrett was going to be on board?" Darren snarled, "Did you?"  
  
"No, I didn't have a clue." Melissa replied, "How do you even know that he is here? Did you see him?"  
  
"No, I didn't _see_ him, but I have my sources." Darren grinned menacingly, "Mutual friends who keep me informed."  
  
Darren wasn't a complete idiot, he had acquired an ally. Melissa tried to think of who might be helping the older man, a common link between him and Garrett. A sudden empihany struck Melissa, the realization that only a single person could be aiding Darren with information about the former police officer, the duplicitous girl who broke Garrett's heart; Jenna Marshall.  
  
"What are you going to do with Aria now?" Melissa whispered.  
  
The expression on Darren's face darkened. Melissa knew that the mindless grunt had no real plan for Aria. He probably wasn't even aware that his ideas were a product of Jenna's manipulative suggestions. The green-eyed girl rivaled both Charlotte and Alison when it came to the art of deception. She resembled a witch, with minions lurking at every nook, ready to serve her. Jenna gave commands and developed schemes, but someone else suffered from the consequences of the repercussions. Under a veil of superficial charm, Jenna hid the secret that she was simply a fiend who thrived in chaos.  
  
"Just leave her. Plans have changed." Darren took a step closer toward Melissa, "Garrett's going to tell them everything. We can't let that happen."  
  
Sweat beaded on her forehead, the brunette was flustered from the heat. Melissa removed her mask, allowing the cool air to refresh her skin. She took a deep breath, her brown eyes glaring at Darren. A defiant smirk found its way onto the raven-haired girl's face. Garrett posed a threat to the corrupt detective, but the information that the young man knew was unrelated to Melissa.  
  
"There's no 'we' in this situation." Melissa sneered, "I'll watch over the girls while you talk to Garrett. Keep the conversation brief, I don't plan to spend all night lurking around here."  
  
With the bejeweled mask reattached to her head, Melissa stomped out of the compartment. She accepted Darren's silence as an affirmation that he agreed to completing his self-assigned task. Melissa had no desire to entangle herself with Garrett, she was exhausted of all the charades that were slowly gnawing away at her soul.  
  
As the dark-haired woman exited the train carriage, she placed Aria's necklace on the floor, near the door. Melissa didn't intend to hurt the young girl, but Darren had to be entertained with a fruitless endeavor or his thoughts might begin to wander toward Charlotte. Since Garrett had become the older man's favorite scapegoat, Melissa would discreetly nudge Spencer and her friends in the right direction, hoping that they were competent enough to locate Aria.  
  
"Guess who's not gonna make it to the end of the line? - A."

Pressing a button on her mobile device, the message was sent. Melissa hoped that it conveyed an adequate clue, discreetly indicating how Aria was being held in the back of the locomotive. The brunette had to trust that Spencer and her friends were clever enough to decipher the hint. With Aria's necklace planted by the door that led to the small girl's place of confinement, Melissa trusted that her intrepid companions were intellectual enough to realize where the fourth member of their group was.  
  
A sudden shuffling sound startled Melissa, prompting the raven-haired woman to spin around. A chill ran across Melissa's spine, the brunette wasn't prepared to find herself face to face with a ghost. Golden curly hair and one of Alison's plastic masks, a disguised figure stared back at her, clad in a black cloak, hiding their enitre body. It was impossible to determine if the person was a male or a female, but their outfit seemed to draw its inspiration from the titular character in the _Phantom of the Opera_. Melissa stood her ground, watching the mysterious individual disappear into the shadows.  
  
Silence fell upon the train carriage, an eerie quietude that gave Melissa such a feeling of dread. Too many fiends were prowling around in the midst of the darkness, an assortment of degenerates who could jeopardize everything that Melissa and Charlotte had. The situation continued to slip through the dark-haired woman's fingers, and she was powerless to regain control.  
  
"These violent delights have violent ends." Melissa whispered to herself.  
  
A quote from Shakespeare's most acclaimed work of literature, the infamous play known as _Romeo and Juliet_. It effortlessly applied to what Melissa's life had become, an aggressive whirlwind of impulsive actions and reckless decisions that were slowly approaching some unforeseen tether. Torn between loyalties, Melissa was striving to safeguard both Charlotte and Spencer, a challenging responsibility.  
  
As the old idiom stated, a person who played with fire was likely to get burned, and Melissa could already feel a scorching sensation creeping onto her chest.

* * *

The clock ticked away the time, with audible clicks that resonated throughout the apartment. Two empty teacups laid on the surface of a table. Between meaningless anecdotes and an infinite amount of recollections, Charlotte had emerged Ezra into CeCe Drake's alternate universe where Spencer Hastings became the most convincing villain and Alison DiLaurentis was painted as a courageous heroine.  
  
Ezra jotted the blue-eyed woman's ramblings onto his notebook, determined to transform the blurry scribbles into a focused narrative. He didn't question the credibility of his source, arrogance engulfed him, all-consuming and overbearing, like the scent of his lavish cologne. Charlotte enjoyed feeding him false clues and tales. As a privileged rich boy, the thought that the playful blonde could be deceiving him would never cross Ezra's mind.  
  
The minutes turned into hours, as Charlotte continued filling up the silence with fictional stories. She toyed with a strand of her golden hair, pacing around the apartment, lost in her own world. Mesmerized by the memory of Alison DiLaurentis, the young man was intrigued. Ezra had the same curiosity that drove Charlotte, a lingering ambition to understand what had happened to the enigmatic blonde girl.  
  
"We had so much fun during that summer." Charlotte spoke in a reminiscent tone, "Alison was probably the best friend that I ever had..."  
  
A genuine sentiment, Charlotte's confession was interrupted by a buzzing sound. Two pair of cerulean irises searched around the room, until Ezra realized that his mobile phone was vibrating. The dark-haired man glanced the screen, his mouth clenching. He seemed distress, standing up abruptly and smoothing the lapels of his jacket. Ezra was eager to leave, facing Charlotte with an impatient expression.  
  
"We have to cut this short." Ezra gestured with his hand, beckoning Charlotte to accompany him, "I have to go."

All of Ezra's polite mannerisms had vanished. Within seconds, his hand had been placed on Charlotte's lower back, and he was ushering her toward the exit. Ezra guided them through the door, rushing to secure the lock with a key as he closed up his apartment. It was evident that Ezra needed Charlotte to leave the loft. Shifting around to look at the blonde, the young man discerned that an explanation was required. His voice trembled nervously as he spoke.  
  
"Someone has been killed at the Halloween Train, an event that my girlfriend was attending." Ezra ran a hand through his hair as he walked away, "I'll write you a check next time."  
  
Without a parting glance, Ezra exited the apartment building. His words echoed in Charlotte's ears, spinning around her head. A churning in the golden-haired woman's stomach. Her heart pounded roughly, she felt as though the fragile organ was moments away from bursting. A person just died at the Halloween Train event, the party that Melissa had been attending with Darren Wilden, a volatile man who was capable of committing atrocious crimes in order to save his own skin.  
  
Bile gathered inside of Charlotte's throat, the tangible sensation of guilt and despair. She clutched her chest tightly, the though of Melissa dying was too unfathomable for Charlotte to digest. The blonde hurried to her vehicle, slipping out a mobile phone. Her hands shook as she held the small device, pressing a few buttons on the keyboard, unsure what to say. She felt utterly lost. The fear of not receiving a response from Melissa was chipping away at Charlotte's already vulnerable sanity.

* * *

A gunshot, the discharge produced by a firearm, a mechanical effect was loud and deafening as it reverberated through the train compartment. Not even the clanking of the locomotive's wheels was enough to drown out the morbid sound. A gasp escaped Melissa's lips when she entered the last room on the caboose, shocked by the grotesque sight that awaited her.  
  
The lifeless corspe of Garrett Reynolds was being dragged across the floor by his former supervisor, Darren Wilden. An unprecedented turn of events, the older police officer had murdered the young man in cold blood. In one instant, Melissa finally understood the consequences of playing with people. By allowing Charlotte to manipulate individuals like pieces on a chessboard, the raven-haired girl had permitted the actions that led to Garrett's premature death.  
  
Her palms were sweating, Melissa began hyperventilating. She knew that everything had spiraled out of control. Darren was a formidable threat, not just a simpleton that could easily be swayed with a few rehearsed phrases and half-hearted statements. He had been capable of slaying a person who used to be his friend.  
  
With a swift motion, Darren threw Garrett into a crate. He slammed the lid shut, his cobalt irises gleamed with malice, turning to face Melissa. Darren wasn't wearing the Queen of Hearts mask, and his gloves were missing their decorative nails. It appeared as though the older man had engaged in a struggle that stripped him out of some of his costume accessories.  
  
"Did anyone see you without your mask?" Melissa asked, maintaining an apathetic composure.  
  
"No." Darren replied curtly, "I don't know what to do with Garrett's body."  
  
"Maybe you should have thought about that before you shot him!" Melissa snapped.  
  
"He gave me no choice!" Darren claimed, "Help me get rid of the body."  
  
Apprehension sent a chill down Melissa's spine. She wanted Darren to believe that her allegiance was to him. The volatile police officer needed to be appeased with an act of loyalty, as if he were a dragon that had to be tamed. Melissa saunted toward the crate, maintaining a facade of confidence. She couldn't appear weak in front of Darren.  
  
"Fine." Melissa drawled, impatiently tapping her foot as she crossed her arms.

Darren opened the train carriage's loading door, a sliding door that allowed huge items to be stored inside the compartment. The raven-haired woman placed her hands on a corner of the wooden container. She adjusted her grip on the crate, assisting Darren as he pushed the large box near the edge of the floor. Melissa's palms trembled, her resolve faltering when she realized that Aria was inside the crate. Muffled screams could be heard coming from the interior, loud banging on the lid.  
  
"Push, damn it!" Melissa ordered as Darren's determination wavered.  
  
"No! I can't!" Darren huffed, loosening his hold on the box.  
  
"Shut up!" Melissa quipped angrily, "Come back here!"   
  
With a tentative motion, Darren hovered over the crate once more. Although the brown-haired man had just murdered a former subordinate, he seemed uncommitted to the act of pushing Garrett and Aria off the locomotive.  
  
"Push!" Melissa insisted.  
  
A sudden jerk, the tip of a screwdriver emerged from the crate, piercing into Darren's torso. As a result of his unexpected injury, the blue-eyed police officer yelped loudly. He stumbled back, spinning around to exit the carriage. It appeared that Melissa had underestimated Aria, the younger girl was more resourceful than she originally anticipated. With Darren retreating, there was no need to dispose of Garrett's corpse. Melissa didn't have to feign her allegiance to a man who wasn't present. Never one to miss a cue, the brunette decided to leave as well.  
  
After a few minutes, the train came to a complete halt. The authorities must have stopped the Halloween festivity when Garrett's corpse had been discovered. Since the locomotive was no longer in motion, Melissa proceeded to jump off from the caboose. She remained in a state of disbelief, her legs moved automatically. A voice echoed inside Melissa's head, reminding her of a morbid fact. Her subconscious began to replay all the events that had just transpired.  
  
Garrett Reynolds was dead.  
  
Dark clouds loomed in the sky. Within seconds, rain fell down, cold and dreary. Melissa trudged along, shoes squelching obscenely in the mud each time that she lifted her foot. Against all odds, the silver rays from the moon above reached the forest floor, coloring the underbrush with a dull silver tone. It cast menacing shadows, but Melissa was unafraid. She didn't have a single regret. The brunette had done everything she could to protect her girlfriend. It was a deadly epiphany, but in order to keep Charlotte safe, Melissa would always go to unforeseeable lengths.

* * *

A flickering light glimmered inside of the apartment. The loft was supposed to be vacant, but Melissa's life had a way of becoming unpredictable. Pushing her front door ajar, the brunette crept into the living room. The television's bright screen was illuminating the walls, a melancholic shade of blue. Golden curls dangled over the edge of the couch. Charlotte laid asleep on Melissa's sofa, a hand gripping on her mobile device. Soft snores resonated through the residence, but the raven-haired woman could only focus on her girlfriend's face. Two residual streams of tears were staining Charlotte's cheeks. Discarded pieces of tissue paper littered the floor.  
  
“Jesus.” Melissa muttered, shaking her head, "What am I going to do with you?"  
  
Guilt bubbled within her chest, the raven-haired woman crouched down, fingers finding their way through Charlotte's messy curls. Melissa had turned off her mobile device, which meant that she couldn't receive any of her girlfriend's messages. Based on the condition of Charlotte's appearance, Melissa knew that the blonde had been worrying about her.  
  
Shutting down the television with a click on the remote control device, Melissa lamented how the evening had ended. It shouldn't be deemed too surprising, from Labor Day weekends to Halloween nights, most celebrations in the town of Rosewood resulted in a brutal murder or two. It was only a matter of time before the brunette's many crimes caught up to her. At this point, Melissa knew that she and Charlotte could be able to give the notorious duo of Bonnie and Clyde a run for their money.

As Melissa continued to caress the smaller woman's skin, Charlotte didn't even budge. The brunette's fingers traced the edge of her girlfriend's jaw tenderly. Charlotte simply nuzzled into Melissa’s warmth, making a soft, whimpering sound. With a slow motion, Melissa scooped up the blonde. She carried Charlotte into her bedroom, the wooden floor creaking with every step Melissa took.  
  
The brunette managed to settle Charlotte on top of her mattress without awakening the unconscious young woman. She tucked the blonde in, gently manuavering the bedsheets around Charlotte's body. Melissa wanted to avoid an unnecessary conversation. Between Garrett's death and Darren's newfound volatility, there was too much that needed to be discussed. She was tired, it had been a taxing evening. Melissa just longed to lay down beside Charlotte, to cuddle around her girlfriend and finally succumb to sleep.  
  
Slipping under the duvet bedding, Melissa threw her arm over the golden woman's waist. A whimper escaped out of Charlotte's mouth, rustling against Melissa's embrace. Eyelids fluttering open, two azure irises began to focus their vision to accommodate the darkness. Charlotte's hand glided onto Melissa's cheek, tenderly stroking the brunette's olive skin.  
  
"Mel? Melissa?" Charlotte sighed with relief, "You're okay, you're okay."  
  
Melissa grabbed the hand that had been perching on her face, nodding firmly. She smiled at Charlotte reassuringly before pressing her lips onto the smaller woman's forehead.  
  
"I am." Melissa promised, "Go back to sleep, Ce. We'll talk tomorrow."

"B-But- What about Darren? W-Who died? Are you okay, and what-"

"Hush, hush. Calm down." Melissa interjected Charlotte's slurred ramblings, "I'll tell you everything in the morning. For now, let's just rest. It's been an awful day. I came home to you, okay? Let that be enough for tonight."

"You came home to me..." Charlotte repeated fondly, "That will always be enough."

A smile crept on the brunette's face. Satisfied with Melissa's affirmations, Charlotte slipped back into a state of unconsciousness. She purred softly, nuzzling her head against the crook of Melissa's neck. The night had dragged on for far too long, becoming physically exhausting and emotionally draining. Several problematic events had to be discussed, but for now, both women were content with basking in each other's presence.  
  
The raven-haired woman shifted closer, murmuring sweet promises into Charlotte's ear. With every comforting statement, Melissa slayed each of the blonde's turbulent doubts. Cuddling into her girlfriend's chest, Charlotte fell into a peaceful slumber while Melissa laid wide awake. The brunette watched reels of memories screen through her eyelids, reliving each moment as if the night's incidents were scorched onto to her soul. Garrett Reynolds had been murdered and Melissa couldn't convince herself that she wasn't fully to blame.


End file.
